Nights in White Satin
by landofthekwt
Summary: Princess Kagome discovers that her marriage to Prince Sesshoumaru is a sham. Sesshoumaru/Kagome(Married), Sesshoumaru/Kikyou,(lovers) Inuyasha/Kikyou(exes) and Inuyasha-Kagome friends (Loosely based on the Prince Charles/Princess Diana/Camelia triangle)Complete I have added three stories written for Dokuga Contest "The Ties That Bind","Wedding Night Blues, and " The Last Word"
1. Nights in White Satin

Title: Nights in White Satin

Author: landofthekwt

Rating: PG-13

Prompt: White (Inuyasha Themes #24)

AU

Genre: Royal Rumbles

Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Kagome

Word Count: 1000

Warning: Typical AU character difficulties

Summary: Trouble in Paradise

She awoke alone again. A shaft of light was shining through the window. It must be late morning already. She shivered under the satin sheets. No sign that her husband had ever been present. Alone again. Sighing she slipped out of bed and put on her robe. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her reflection was shocking. Dark lines had formed under her eyes which were puffy and blood shot.

A shower would cleanse all the impurities from her body. She needed sometime to revive her body. A soak in the tub would only serve to lure back to sleep. She had been in bed too much already. The water splashed over her. Exhilarated she closed her eyes and let it hit directly in the face. Just what she needed at the moment. She needed to feel something, anything. Even if meant facing another day in the palace.

She grabbed a towel off the rack as she exited the shower. It was good to feel clean again. The shower had refreshed. A new robe had been laid out for her. The material caressed her skin as she slid it around her body. It was a comfort. More comfort than she had received in days.

Returning to the bedroom, she noticed that a breakfast tray had been placed on the table next to the window. Most important was a steaming carafe of freshly brewed coffee. She plopped down at the table and proceeded to down the breakfast which had been provided to her between jolts of caffeine. For some reason she had not realized how hungry she was

She thanked whatever gods there were for the food they provided. People came and went without her ever seeing them. It almost made her believe in fairies. Food appeared and disappeared. Clothes would appear in the closet and her dirty clothes would vanish when her back was turned. The room was always immaculate although she never saw anyone clean it.

When she was done, she stared out the window. The life was she had chosen when she married Sesshoumaru was a fairy tale. She lived in a castle. Servants at her beck and call. The best of everything. She could have anything she wanted. She would trade it all in a minute for five minutes with Sesshoumaru.

What had happened to the man she married? He had been so sensitive and kind. Not like any of the other men she had dated. He had been attentive to her needs, anticipating them before she even thought of them herself. He had literally swept her off her feet. The presents and the jewelry had been stunning.

The physical part of their relationship had been the best. She had been in a lustful haze much of the time she had been with him. He was god incarnate. The first time they had made love she thought she would die when she orgasmed. She could imagine feeling happier in her life. When did it all change?

The wedding had rivaled Charles and Diana's. Royalty from around the world had been there. She felt like a fairy tale princess. The honeymoon had been a romantic whirlwind. Making love in the surf. Walking hand in hand on moonlit beaches. Candle lit dinners. She had wished that it could last forever.

It might have if she had conceived the heir that Sesshoumaru wanted. But when time passed without any hint of pregnancy things began to change. There were visits to doctors. Advice from nearly everyone. The more she tried, the more tense she became. She felt like she was under a microscope Required to perform under duress.

Sex became more and more strained. Ovulation was charted. Dates were circled. The pressure to produce became almost too much. There were arguments and recrimination between the two of them. Stormy confrontations. And then nothing. One day he did not come home. Soon it became weeks. It had been months since she had seen him. No calls. No emails. No texts. No Sesshoumaru,.

The household continued to treat her as if nothing was amiss. All her needs were attended to by the household staff. She could go anywhere she wanted so long as she was always accompanied by one of the servants. If she needed to be driven there was a chauffeur. If she wanted to go shopping, one of female staff would accompany her..

At first she had been pleased by all the attention. Now it seemed controlling. She had no more freedom that the worst criminal. She was never out of sight of a servant, bodyguard or other employee of Sesshoumaru's household. Her cage might be gilded, but it was still a cage. She yearned for more, but no matter what she did she could not shake the feeling that she was a prisoner in the palace.

She was surprised to see that a newspaper under the tray that had been delivered with the breakfast. She wondered why she had not noticed it before. Somehow she had become cut off from all media. There was no TV in her room. She did not recall seeing any papers before today.

The paper was not an ordinary newspaper. It was one of the scandal sheets that are distributed in the supermarkets. It was folded back to a particular page. A grainy black and white photograph was circled. An arrow pointed to one of the persons in the photographed. As she stared at the picture, she gasped. The person with his arm wrapped around the statuesque brunette who could have been her twin was her husband, Sesshoumaru. The headline read

" RECLUSIVE ROYAL TAISHO SESSHOUMARU AND HIS WIFE,KAGOME WERE SEEN LAST NIGHT AT THE OPENING OF IPPUDO'S IN NEW YORK."

She reached for her purse Pulling out her cell phone she pushed the number listed for "Scarlet Knight". When he answered she simply said " This is Kagome. I need rescuing" After a pause he replied " Be out front in an hour."


	2. A Night at the Plaza

Title: A Night at the Plaza

Author: landofthekwt

Rating: PG-13

Prompt: Alternate Pairing (The Wilted Rose #36)

Paring Sesshoumaru/Kikyou

AU

Word Count:1205

Genre: Royal Rumbles

Warning: implication of sex, infidelity

Summary: Sesshoumaru and Kikyou go public sort of

A/N This is a sequel to Nights in White Satin from Kikyou's POV The original models were Charles and Diana. However after reading about the trauma of Princess Masako since her marriage to Crown Prince Naruhito it appears that much of what I wrote about Kagome in Nights in White Satin is not that far fetched.

The night had been a whirlwind. The flight from Tokyo to New York in his private jet. His private penthouse at the Plaza. All her wants and need cared for as if she were visiting royalty.

As if, she sighed. Last night she had finally come out openly with her lover. No more hiding he had said. No more being afraid to answer the phone. To answer the door for fear that the paparazzi who could ruin her and her lover waited on the other side.

He had promised that she was the one. No longer a shadow of her sister. She had been his before her sister. Their affair had continued all of the time that Sesshoumaru and Kagome had been married.

She had waited silently and patiently, dying a little every time he was late. Fearful that this is time he would not come.

She had grudgingly accepted that she was the other woman. If the press knew of her existence their lives would have become a living hell. It had been terrible for her when she to pretend.

She was not a kept woman. Her company was one of the most successful in Japan. Her designs were known worldwide. Her father sent her to the finest schools. She was an Olympic class archer ranking only behind the Chinese and Koreans

Yet he had married her sister because she was already married. Her father had betrothed her to the heir of a business associate when they were only infants. Although she knew her duty in marriage, she loved him.

Their affair was a scandal which their families ended by keeping them apart. He received a commission and was required to serve. Her family forced her to marry the one to whom she had been promised.

Their families tried to keep them apart. He was married to the younger sister, Kagome as soon as he finished his service. They thought that was the end of it. Little did they know that the couple had been corresponding all the time he had been posted.

His return was the spark that they needed to rekindle the physical part of their relationship. She had been the masked woman who sprang from his cake on the night of his bachelor party. They spent the night reveling in each other.

The next morning they were parted. He knelt with Kagome,, shared the sake and spoke the vows binding them for life at Kashikodokoro due to Sesshoumaru's status as a member of Imperial house, The Imperial family,dignitaries, royalty and celebrities from all around the world were mark the occasion.

The press noted how happy they were. Speculation had already begun the name, sex and birth date of the heir. Kikyou could only smile. She saw herself in Kagome's place standing next to the one she loved pledging their lives to each.

She was secure in her love. No matter that they were both married to other people they were truly meant for each they would come together and be together forever. She just knew it.

In preparation she separated from her own husband. He had not protested. She had denied him his rights as a husband from the start. It was if she was reserving their marriage bed for another.

He was gladly rid of her. Now he could pursue his own passions outside the bounds of marriage.

The separation was kept quiet. Their families had too much riding on their future. Depending on them to unite the families and create a more powerful union.

Behind the scenes pressure began building. His family demanded an heir. If she was not willing to produce one the marriage was done and all . All either side could hope for was an equitable settlement.

Kikyou's family resigned themselves. Kikyou was a lost cause. The union of families and companies they had hoped for would be destroyed in their divorce.

Kagome was now their bright star. Their ties to the Imperial family would be solidified once she

became pregnant. There was the rub. Try as they might she could not seem to become pregnant.

After stormy recriminations he left. She stayed on at the palace while he took up residence in the

Tokyo estate. The silence was deafening from all sides. Kagome became almost a prisoner in the palace. Sesshoumaru was not heard from at all. Until last night.

Kikyou had treasured the time she had with him. She was his secret lover. Finally, she had him all to herself and she was not about to share him with the world. The press did not know about their love nest. The couple was allowed to live their lives in secret free from the glare of publicity.

Something in her still wanted more. She wanted to be able to openly have him claim her. It should have been her standing next to him. She should be his princess standing proudly next to him not her sister.

Was he ashamed of her? He told he loved her, but only in private away from the glare of publicity. She wanted it all. She should be his wife not Kagome.

She had finally convinced him to travel together. It had to be somewhere far away from Japan. New York seemed the perfect location. Who would look for them at the opening of Ippudo's in Greenwich Village? It was after all only a ramen house. Hardly a place one would expect a royal like Sesshoumaru to eat.

For the night they had escaped from his evening had been wonderful. Although the Japanese press was there, they were not hounded like the . He was after all not the Emperor or the Crown Prince merely the head of a collateral branch of the Imperial family.

She dressed in her finest gowns. He would be proud of her as she clung to his arm. Tonight the noodles seemed like the most extravagent luxury in the world because she was eating them in public with him.

They would no longer hide from the world after today. The sex had been great. It was as if she had been reborn. She was finally able to give herself to him completely and without reservation.

It was no wonder that she slept till noon. When she awoke, he was already up drinking his tea in a chair in their room. Room service had left breakfast items on a stand by their bed. She made herself a plate and brought tray table over her lap. As she sipped her tea and nibbled on the offerings, she rifled through the papers.

Surely, there was something about last nights opening. Buried deep within the society pages she came across a picture and a caption which made her gasp.

The gasp startled Sesshoumaru " What is wrong, kobito?"

She waved the paper angrily at him. Finally he got up and looked at it. It was a picture of Kikyou and himself at last nights opening. The headline read "RECLUSIVE ROYAL TAISHO SESSHOUMARU AND HIS WIFE,KAGOME WERE SEEN LAST NIGHT AT THE OPENING OF IPPUDO'S IN NEW YORK."

"Hn"

"Is that all you have to say? I am not Kagome. My name is KIKYOU


	3. The Shit Hits the Fan

Title: The Shit Hits the Fan

Author:landofthekwt

Rating: M

Prompt: Fan (Inuyasha Themes #27)

Genre: Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice

Word Count:500

Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, Sesshoumaru/Kagome, formerly Inuyasha/Kikyou

friends Inuyasha /Kagome

Summary: Kagome, a princess on a mission looks up her husband

A/N Ths story is the third in this series. Nights in White Satin and, A Night at the Plaza

Sesshoumaru was determined to show Kikyou that he did not see Kagome in her. Kikyou was Kikyou. It was that hard steel veneer that deflected all the slings and arrows that made him feel akin to her. It was that vulnerable look that she gave only him that made him fall hopelessly in love with her.

Today he would show her how special she really was to him. If she wanted to be treated like a princess, he would treat her like a princess. Only the best for her. She must never feel that she was his second choice. By the end of the day she would surrender to him.

He spent the day pampering her. Spa treatment. Shopping for designer gowns. A tiara from Tiffany's. Lunch at the Russian Tea Room Dinner at the Tavern on the Green. Then on the Met to see Carmen. By the time they got in they were both too exhausted to do anything but sleep.

Sesshoumaru woke in her arms. Her scent was heavenly. At the moment he could think of no place else that he would rather be. Today he would make her his at last. She would know that she was the only one he wanted in his life. He started with a kiss. She responded in kind and soon they were in throes of passion.

Inuyasha could not believe the power Kagome had at her hand. All he had done was to take her to a private jet port. After some acting where Kagome played the haughty princess ordering around her serfs they took to the skies

It was a little disconcerting. Here he thought that he was her knight in shining armor come to save her from the evil lord Sesshoumaru. He felt like a third wheel merely along for the ride . Kagome still had not given him any clue why she had called him to rescue her.

For the moment she was zoned out. Maybe she could give him some answers when they arrived. He did not know where they were going or why. As usual Inuyasha was being asked to rescue a fair maiden without hope of reward. Sometimes he just got tired of kissing his horse. .

The driver took them directly to the Plaza. She brushed past the security. After all she was still a princess. A princess on a mission. She knew exactly where he was. The bedroom that he had promised her would always be theirs. All lies just like their marriage. When they reached the bedroom suite, it was locked.

"Break it down, Inuyasha" He looked at her like she was crazy. " I said, break it down." Inuyasha obeyed. He was not prepared for the scene he saw before him. His brother humping his ex-wife. He knew that she had been unfaithful, but with him?

"Kikyou, how could you fuck my fucking brother?"

Sesshoumaru tilted his head slightly, arched his eyebrow and smirked without missing a stroke

" Half-brother"


	4. Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune

Title : The Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune

Author: landofthekwt

Rating: M

Prompt: Arrow (Inuyasha Themes #28)

Genre: A hole to crawl in

Word Count:247

Pairings: Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, formerly Inuyasha/Kikyou; Inuyasha-

Kagome friends

Warning: Sex

Summary: Inuyasha recovers after watching Sesshoumaru and Kikyou have sex.

They were now alone in the bedroom. Inuyasha never wanted to watch another couple have sex again least of all his half brother and his ex-wife. Each moan, each thrust and the climax had been painful. He was sure that Sesshoumaru had made sure that he felt the pain in his heart.

The cocky bastard had actually strutted out of the bedroom when he was done stopping only to throw a dressing gown at the embarrassed Kikyou who had been hiding under the at least was properly mortified and rushed to the bathroom as soon as she put on the dressing gown.

That left Kagome and Inuyasha sitting on the bed. Kagome seemed lost in her thoughts. Inuyasha wondered what she was thinking. Had she flown from Tokyo to New York simply to confront Sesshoumaru and Kikyou? Why would she do such a thing? Why did she feel it necessary to drag him into the fray?

It had revolted him having to watch Sesshoumaru, the person he hated most in the world having sex with a woman he once loved the most in the world. He blamed Sesshoumaru for stealing Kikyou for cheating on him. He felt the hurt all over again.

There was a knock at the door. When Inuyasha opened it several chefs and butlers swept in with an array of breakfast foods and drinks. Inuyasha smirked. At least he would have the pleasure of eating Sesshoumaru's breakfast. Next he would eat his lunch.


	5. Passion's Graveyard

Title: Passion's Graveyard

Author: landofthekwt

Rating: M

Prompt: Tear ( Inuyasha Themes #

Genre: Soap Opera Scenarios

Word Count: 745

Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, formerly Inuyasha/Kikyou, Inuyasha/Kagome friends

The door opened and Sesshoumaru stepped into the room. As usual he was dressed elegantly. Kagome would not have expected less. She had fallen for him the first time they met. It had been difficult to keep her virginity in tact prior to the marriage.

She had resolved to be angry. He would not sway her with seduction as he had always done. She needed righteous indignation to do what needed to be done. He would pay for what he had done to her.

She had no illusions about their future. His family would try to drag her through the mud. Her family would disown her for her failure. He would point to the lack of an grounds for a divorce. She would be lucky if they let her keep her title.

She rose to meet him. "Leave Inuyasha. This is between Sesshoumaru and me. "

Inuyasha looked at her questioningly, but finally left after she kissed him on the cheek and shooed him away. " Just call me if you need me." were his last words before departing.

When he left. The royals were finally alone together. It seemed that they had been separated forever. For a moment they just stared at each other groping for words to express what they felt.

" When did you start fucking my sister?" The words blurted out of Kagome's mouth with a venom that surprised even her. Sesshoumaru was taken aback. For some reason he was unprepared. Kagome had never been angry at him before.

" We dated before I went into the service. She married Inuyasha while I was away. When I finished my service, we took up where we left off. "

"You mean to tell me that you and Kikyou have been together all the time we have been married. Did you ever love me or did you marry me because I look so much like Kikyou?"

Sesshoumaru pondered what to say. Finally he admitted " It has always been Kikyou."

Kagome rushed toward Sesshoumaru and began beating on his chest with her fists all the while screaming "How could you?" with tears streaming down her face. Sesshoumaru reached out and enveloped her.

She still continued to try to pummel tears made her gasp inbetween yells. Finally, Sesshoumaru could take her accusations no longer. He lowered his face to her mouth and kissed.

She was shocked. It had never occurred to her that Sesshoumaru would kiss her. Her mouth gaped open. Satisfied that he quieted her, Sesshoumaru leaned in to kiss her again.

His arms tightened around her. She closed her eyes forcing the last of her tears to flow down her cheeks. Sesshoumaru reached up to dry her tears. As she opened her eyes, he was smiling at her.

It was that smile that had first captured her heart. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him back fervently. All the pain and suffering that she had felt since he left flowed out of her and into the kiss.

She wrapped herself so forcefully that they toppled over onto the bed. For a moment they stared at each other. The heat of the moment was rapidly overwhelming them as they rediscovered their love.

The clothes disappeared into an unruly heap on the floor as the royal couple reunited in the throes of passion.. She hooked her legs around his waist and rode him until she climaxed screaming. his name.

They collapsed into each others arms. Kagome fell asleep immediately. The jetlag and her outpouring of passion had finally caught up with her.

As Sesshoumaru lay beneath her all he wondered what had just happened. He and Kikyou had finally been prepared to reveal their relationship to the world.

Kagome's arrival had been fortuitous. She had seen how he and Kikyou felt about each other. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to prepare her for the inevitable divorce.

Instead, he had been swept away by her passion. How could he have forgotten the one thing that attracted him to her in the first place? The one thing that Kikyou did not have.

Where did that leave him? He had loved Kikyou forever. As soon as he and Kagome divorced they would be married after a respectable time. Now his plans were in shambles.

What in the world was he going to do? His head said Kikyou, but his heart wanted Kagome. Maybe he could have both. He missed Kikyou peeking into the room.


	6. Runaway Bride

Title: Runaway Bride

Author: landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt: The Wilted Rose (last prompt)

Genre: One good fuck deserves another

Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Sesshoumaru/Kikyou; Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes) Inuyasha-Kagome friends

Word Count:1453

Warning: language/sex

Summary: Kikyou strikes back

God, he could not take much more. Knowing that his best friend was in that bedroom doing the beast with two backs with his hated half-brother was too much. Why could n't women see what a monster the man was.

He has always known Sesshoumaru for the sleaze that he was. Now that opinion not only had been confirmed. Watching his exwife thrash with pleasure was too much. The idea that she had left him for Sesshoumaru was humiliating. It made him feel like nothing.

She had not been willing to give herself to him for even one night. Instead she had spread her legs for that spawn of the underworld. In that moment he lost all the respect he had for her. Once he had loved her passionately.

After she had left him on their wedding night, he had hated her with a passion. They had finally settled things amicably through their lawyers and gone their separate ways. He threw himself into the family business. It was the only thing that kept him sane during those dark days.

Now he wondered if he had ever really known Kikyou at all. Their courtship followed the miai given the samurai tradition of both families. Their marriage should have united the families and their companies. The future was to be in their hands.

He had been naive enough to believe that love could grow in an arranged marriage. Kikyou was dazzlingly beautiful and sophisticated. He even made friends with his fiance's sister, Kagome. At least that friendship had survived his divorce and Kagome's marriage to Sesshoumaru.

Kikyou had the nerve to wear white to the traditional Shinto ceremony. Little did he know that she had already given herself to that bastard in the next room. If he had known, he could have avoided the heartbreak that befell him when she .

Since she left there had been no one else. His heart had been crushed. He had vowed that he would never love again. There had been other women, but they were all just meaningless affairs. He never let them touch his heart afraid of the pain he felt.

Then there was Kagome. The woman who consoled him when Kikyou left. She had saved his life. He could not imagine a better best friend. It was no wonder that he came running when she had asked him to rescue her.

He would have followed her into hell. Instead, she had led him to the Plaza where he had witnessed the two persons he hated most in the world engaged in sexual intercourse.. Seeing Kikyou defiled by his half-brother had been too much. He was still in shock.

He assumed that Kagome would kill his brother for cheating on her. There had been heated arguments and accusations. He had loved listening to that. It was the moans and screams of passion which emanated from the bedroom that he did not understand.

She had taken the bastard back after all that he did. It was painful listening to the sounds that came from their bedroom. How was that fair Sesshoumaru had just finished screwing her sister and his exwife? Instead of leaving she had confronted him.

The confrontation had led to sex. Sesshoumaru got both Kikyou and Kagome. He had to watch Sesshoumaru and Kikyou and listen to Sesshoumaru and Kagome. The girls were not the only ones who got screwed tonight.

As if on cue he heard desperate sobbing from one of bedrooms down the hallway from the master bedroom. Given that the sounds from Sesshoumaru and Kagome had ceased, he was curious about what could making those piteous cries.

He followed the wails of grief down the hallway until he reached a locked door at the end of the hallway. There was something oddly familiar about the sound of the voice. Suddenly, he realized that the weeping woman behind the door was his exwife Kikyou.

He should not care. She had used him and tossed him away. He hated her with a vengeance. Yet as he listened to her piteous cries his heart melted. He was back at the Shinto ceremony sipping the sake with Kikyou. At that moment he had loved her more than anything in the world.

Maybe that was why he hated her so much when she left him. Could he really listen to her cries and not reach out to her? He knocked on the door. The crying ceased and he heard Kikyou walk toward the door."

"Sesshoumaru, is that you?"

Inuyasha almost walked away when he heard that. Finally he calmed himself and answered. "Kikyou. It's Inuyasha. Is everything all right?"

There was a moment of silence and then he heard her ask " Why are you here?"

It was a good question. Neither Kikyou nor Kagome was his wife. He had no direct stake in what was happening. Kagome had called him to rescue her. Now he was the one who was at sea?

"I came to rescue Kagome? Why are you here?"

The question must have hit Kikyou hard because she burst into tears again and slid down the door.

"Do you want me to go away,Kikyou?"

He waited for several minutes. Finally he heard the sound of a bolt being pulled back. He found himself face to face with his exwife. She was in a state he had never seen her before.

Bottles of expensive wine were scattered across the floor. Kikyou still had a bottle in her hand. She reeked of alcohol.. The tears had streaked her mascara which ran in tracks from her eyes. Her robe was askew and untied revealing the secrets of her flesh

She threw herself at Inuyasha. He was unprepared. Kikyou had always been poised. and sure of herself. The women he saw before him was so despondent that he actually felt sympathy for her. His anger faded as she clung to him like a drowning man.

Finally her tears ceased. He could feel the rise and fall of her breasts against his chest as she fought for control. Had she ever clung to him like this? He could not remember a time that she actually needed him for anything.

She seemed vulnerable, so fragile. He had intended to confront her . To ask her why she had left him. Why she was sleeping with his brother. The moment he saw her he knew that it would be wrong. He would shatter like glass if he did. And so he held his tongue.

She did not. Her life story spilled out between teary gasps. How she had fallen in love with the young royal before his required service. How her family had forced her to marry him. He listened as she recounted how they reunited despite his marriage to Kagome.

She had been the other woman. Always hidden from public view. Never acknowledged. Now just as Sesshoumaru had promised that he and Kagome would divorce and she would take her place at his side, Sesshoumaru had returned to Kagome's bed. All her struggles as the secret lover seemed in vain.

Inuyasha listened enraptured by her tale. He thought that he was over Kikyou. That he felt nothing, but hate for her. He was not sure that he survive another heartbreak. Under no circumstances could he do more than though he wanted to reach out and comfort her.

If he did, he would be trapped again. He would be in the same position as Kikyou and Kagome. They were both in love with Sesshoumaru. As much as they might hate him, the moment he whistled they would rush to his side,

Inuyasha was so deep in thought that he was surprised when Kikyou reached up and kissed him fervently on the mouth. When he held her at arms length to look at her, he discovered that her robe had slipped off her shoulders and she stood before him naked.

"Please"

He could not believe what he was hearing. Only a few hours before he had hated this woman as she writhed under his half brother. Now she was pleading with him to take her. They had never had sex as she had left before the wedding night. He had always wondered what he had missed.

Was he wrong to want her now? She was Sesshoumaru's mistress. She had runaway because she could not bear to be with another man. Now she was prepared to leap into the abyss simply because she had seen Sesshoumaru with Kagome regardless of the consequences to their relationship. His reverie was broken by her whispered plea

"Only a fool refuses a woman who offers herself?"

" What about Sesshoumaru?"

"Screw Sesshoumaru."


	7. Nowhere to Run To

Title: Nowhere to Run To

Author: landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt: Run (Inuyasha Themes #

Genre: The morning after

Word Count: 499

Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Kagome(married), Sesshoumaru/Kikyou(lovers), (exes)

Inuyasha-Kagome friends

Warning: None

Summary: Sesshoumaru and Kikyou face each other after a night of betrayal

Kagome and Inuyasha were gone by the time they got up. Somehow they had slipped out of town without a word leaving Sesshoumaru and Kikyou devastated in their wake.

The paramours sat silently sipping their tea the sumptuous brunch which the staff had meticulously prepared untouched. What was left to say?

Finally Kikyou broke the silence " I have taken a room at the Waldorf Astoria. I will send for my wardrobe."

Sesshoumaru looked at her as if she had grown a second head. After a minute of enduring his gaze Kikyou finally asked " They are my clothes, aren't they?"

Sesshoumaru scoffed "Do you have to ask? Have I ever denied you anything?"

Kikyou started to retort, but Sesshoumaru raised his hand " Can't we talk about this? Are you ready to throw away our love so quickly?"

"What is there to talk about? At the first opportunity you went back to your little princess? "

"While you were betraying me with Inuyasha?"

She wanted to reply, but he was right. All the trust between them was gone. Shattered in a night of passion. Amazing that a lifetime of devotion to each other while married to others had been destroyed so easily. Just as he had betrayed her with Kagome, she had thrown away was left of their relationship by sleeping with Inuyasha. One night had destroyed everything. They had been running to each other in secret all their lives. Now there was nowhere to run to..

Finally, she got up from her chair and kissed him lightly on the forehead. " I need some time to think about our relationship. I still have some time before I need to be back in Tokyo, I might as well do some business while I am here."

As she tried to leave, he reached up to try to embrace her. She bristled "Don't. At the moment, I do not want to be touched by you. I will have your clothes and everything you have ever given me delivered to your palace when I return to Tokyo."

He looked up at her " Don't bother. The gifts are yours. The clothes I don't need. The only thing I cannot replace is you. I will not give you up without a fight. At least give me a chance to make things right again."

She struggled out of his grip. As she opened the door to leave, she turned and softly intoned " We will see."

Sesshoumaru stared after her. She was everything he wanted. The night with his wife meant nothing to him. Kikyou was still the one he loved. He would see his mother about divorcing Kagome when he returned to Japan. Surely Kikyou would see that he only loved and wanted her if he was willing to endure the scandal and disgrace of a very public divorce. Kikyou would be caught in the fallout as the other woman, but she must understand that he was doing this for her.


	8. A Kiss is Just A Kiss

Title: A Kiss is Just a Kiss

Author: landofthekwt

Rating: M

Prompt: Kiss (Inuyasha Theme #36)

Word Count: 1000

Genre: The morning after

Pairings: Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married), Sesshoumaru/Kikyou (lovers), Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes) , Inuysaha-Kagome (friends)

Warning: Mention of sex

Summary: Chapter 8 of Night in White Satin Inuyasha and Kagome return to Japan

The pair sat impassively in the plane. Much had happened on the trip. All of it unexpected. They had barely slept in the past week. Nearly two days in the air had left both jet lagged. Neither had slept before the early morning departure from New York.

At this point both had much to think about. The trip had been surprising. Kagome had come prepared to have it out with Sesshoumaru. Finding him in bed with her sister had almost sent her over the edge. It had brought out the passion in her which Sesshoumaru seized upon.

She was frankly confused at this point. Angry beyond words that he flaunted his relationship with Kikyou in front of her. Finding out that he had loved Kikyou before he met was hurtful Finding out that he had continued his relationship with Kikyou throughout their entire marriage was unforgivable.

Yet one night of passion had left her confused. She knew that she still loved him. Loved him more than anything in the world. The question was love enough. Was their passion enough to overcome what he had done? Could she forgive him? Was she willing to allow him back into her bed? Back into her heart where she was so vulnerable.

What did she remember? The look on his face when he smirked at Inuyasha during sex with Kikyou. The matter of fact way he explained how he and Kikyou had been having an affair while married to Inuyasha and Kagome. The smooth way he took control of her anger to redirect her passion into lovemaking.

She had been overwhelmed. The depth of her feeling for him had actually surprised him and swept both of them away into a night of passion. At one point in the night she had caught him looking at the ceiling with a look on his face that she had never seen before. If she did not know better she might have thought it was regret.

Regret of what. Did he regret his relationship with Kikyou? She doubted that. Did he regret the night of passion with her? Maybe. The more she thought about it, the more it hurt. She had given herself to him again. Made herself vulnerable to him. For what? A night of absolutely wonderful sex.

Was it enough? Could she continue in their marriage knowing that he loved another? The fact that it was Kikyou made it worse. She had always felt inferior to Kikyou. Kikyou was smarter, more beautiful. More successful. The career woman who had caught the brass ring. How could she ever hope to live up to her?

Her attitude had changed when she saw what her sister had done to Inuyasha. She was the one who had pulled her friend through when he was at his lowest point. Kikyo's behavior in deserting her husband had disgusted her. It was only through her help that Inuyasha had survived that experience.

At the time she had been glad that her marriage was not like theirs. She had married the handsome prince and they were going to live happily ever after. Instead, she had discovered that the person that Kikyou had left Inuyasha for was her own husband, Sesshoumaru. She felt horribly deceived and betrayed. How could she have been naive and gullible?

On the other side of the plane Inuyasha fought with his emotions. It was the night he had waited for all his life. A night of passion with the only woman that he had ever loved. At the time it had seemed like heaven. The fulfillment of all his dreams and fantasies. Why was he so empty now?

Maybe it was the sight of the woman he loved being bedded by his brother. Maybe it was the fact that he could not forget the wedding night that never was. The desertion. The bitter divorce. Could all that be forgiven in one night of passion knowing that she was using him to get back at Sesshoumaru and was not thinking of him at all? He was not sure.

Once he had loved Kikyou more than anything in the world. He learned bitterly that she had never loved him. She had always loved his brother. Her thoughts had only been of Sesshoumaru.

Even last night he knew that she was turning to him only because Sesshoumaru was bedding Kagome.

Did he really want his brother's leftovers? The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. She was not the woman he thought she was. He thought she loved him. Now he knew that she had always been his brother's throughout their entire relationship. It shook him to the core. Everything he thought he knew was a lie.

She had only married him under pressure from her family and because Sesshoumaru was unavailable. The moment Sesshoumaru had returned she had run to his side. She had left him on their wedding night never to return How could he ever trust her again?

It had taken years to get over her. Without the help of his good friend, Kagome he would never have made it through the depths of despair that he fell into after the divorce. She had been there for him when he was at his lowest. No wonder he had dropped everything when she called.

He had never thought about her relationship with his brother. Somehow he had assumed that everything was fine simply because she did not say anything. Now he could see that she was just as hurt as he had ever been. It was time for him to step up and be there for her.

They looked at each other at the same time. The words "Are you going to be okay?" were uttered simultaneously. Both broke into laughter. The tension was broken. When the plane landed, Inuyasha drove her to the palace. There was a moment when their eyes met as they were saying goodbye. They both knew that they had someone they could count on


	9. An Alternative History

Title: An Alternative History

Author: landofthekwt

Rating: PG-13

Prompt: Alternate (Inuyasha Themes#35)

Word Count: 750

Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Kagome,(married) Sesshoumaru/Kikyou (lovers) Inuyasha/ Kikyou (exes) Inuyasha-Kagome (friends)

Warning: None

Summary: Sesshoumaru approaches his mother about divorcing Kagome

A good account of the Northern and Southern Courts can be found in following /textbooks/172/Rest%20of%20the%

The families were all gathered in Yoshino for the Lunar New Year to remember their ancestors who had once ruled Japan. As always, the celebration was subdued. Officially they did not exist even though they had been coming here since for the last seven hundred years.

She had only been able to come after the death of her husband. He had been a member of a branch of the royal family. Their marriage had been the consummate political marriage between royals. Designed to further the ambitions of each branch of the union. He had never known her family's darkest secrets.

Now she could come here openly and mingle with the descendants of the Southern Court. Her people. Not the usurpers who currently occupied the Chrysanthemum Throne. The court scholars had written their tracts to justify the Northerners, but they knew better. The last true emperor had been Go-Kameyama not the ancestors of Go-Komatsu.

Her one vice was her love of genealogy. Yoshino was full of the scrolls detailing the history of the two hundred families. She had dutifully traced them all and logged them in her Blackberry so that she was able to trace the family tree of any particular family. Her hobby had led to the discovery of the Higurashi family, a seemingly innocuous upper class family. Her studies had shown that the family had strong ties to both courts

She had based her decision to push Sesshoumaru toward Kagome on the mantra that marriage was the uniting of blood to further political purpose. The Higurashi blood would combine Northern and Southern lines just as they were united in Sesshoumaru. Someday they would sit atop the throne in Yoshino just as their ancestors had. They had waited seven hundred years. What were a few more centuries?

Sesshoumaru was aware of his mother's avocation. His father would have been shocked to see him burning incense in Yoshino for a family that claimed their family's throne. People thought that he ruled the family. Actually his mother controlled every aspect of their lives with an iron fist. He had married Kagome at her behest. A divorce was only possible if she consented.

She was surprised to see him in Yoshino clad in a traditional kimono praying with the rest of the faithful. He looked out of place. His father had pushed a modern view of royalty and Sesshoumaru was nothing else but his father's son. He would not have come here if he did not need something from her.

"Greetings Sesshoumaru. I would never have expected you to come here"

"Mother. Can I not pray at the graves of my ancestors?"

" It is just surprising since you have never come here before."

"Neither did you until Father died. Yet you have come to every new Years celebration since he died."

"You seemed well informed..Yet I have a feeling that you did not come here just to pray at graves of my ancestors."

"As always you are most perceptive, Mother. I have come to ask you for permission to divorce Kagome."

The last words echoed between them like stones in a well. She had her sources so she was not surprised. His affair with Kikyou was common knowledge to everyone, but Kagome. She had chosen Kagome because she thought her the weaker of the two sisters and more controllable.

"And what would be the basis of the divorce?"

"I know that you desire the combining of blood lines to further this project that your ancestors require of you. Kagome is barren. There will no children to further the ambitions of the southern court."

"And who would take her place at your side?"

"Kikyou possesses the same blood lines as Kagome. With her we could all finally get what we want. I would marry the woman I love. You would get the grandchildren that you so desperately want."

" And what would become of Kagome?"

"She would be given a life estate in some properties, an annuity, her titles and the right to marry whomever she pleases."

"I will consider our options. You should be aware by now that no one of our standing marries for love. What if Kagome refuses to go quietly?"

The question was met by a stony silence. Sesshoumaru turned and left leaving his mother to ponder the future without Kagome. It would certainly be a mess to blot her name from the scrolls and the family registry.


	10. The Woman I Love

Title The Woman I Love

Author landofthekwt

Rating PG-13

Prompt Glow ( Inuyasha Themes #38)

Word Count 500

Pairings Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) Sesshoumaru/Kikyou (lovers) Inuyasha/Kikyou exes

Inuyasha - Kagome friends

AU Chapter 10 of Nights in White Satin

Genre Modern Uses of Cell Phones

Warning None

Summary Sesshoumaru takes action

Sesshoumaru was becoming frustrated. He had returned home, but not to his wife's bed. The person he really wanted was not there. He should have never let her go. Instead, he had foolishly returned home instead of immediately pursuing her.

Kikyou had cut all off all contact with him. His phone calls reached a disconnected number. His emails were bounced back, His texts to her cell were ignored.

She had flown from their love nest without giving him a chance to regain her trust. His spies reported that she had returned to her own home. He had ordered their home in Tokyo shuttered.

Without her, that place would never be his home again.

How could she desert him when he had finally agreed to leave his wife? Did she really have so little faith in him after all that they had through together? He was determined not to let it end this way.

Clearly a visit to Tokyo was required. He would storm her bastions. Surely, she would yield to him once more. She had a woman of firsts. His first love. His first sexual encounter. First in his heart. No effort was too great if it brought her back to him.

He gazed at the emails from the Imperial Court. His cultivation of the Crown Prince had gained him a sympathetic hearing due to the Prince's frustration with his own wife's inability to produce a male heir

They indicated that they would not oppose a divorce based on the inability to produce children. Children were the life blood of royalty. Succession depended upon the production of an heir.

He still did not have a definite answer from his mother. It had been weeks since he broached the subject. She could at least have deigned to respond to his request. Instead, he was left to twist in the wind.

He clicked on a You-Tube of the Abdication Speech of Edward VIII. The words were committed to memory, but he needed courage to do what must be done. Sesshoumaru needed to hear those words. They gave him impetus to do what must be done to be with the woman he loved.

The man had given up his throne to be with the women he loved. Sesshoumaru was not sure if he would be willing to give up his inheritance to be with Kikyou, but he certainly had the courage to divorce Kagome if it meant he could be with Kikyou.

Kikyou would only take him back if he was willing to divorce Kagome. She had been his secret mistress for too many years. It was time for her to take her place by his side as his wife. He would divorce Kagome to be with the woman he loved.

Pulling out his cell phone he texted a message to Kagome. " Kagome. Please contact me regarding divorce proceedings ASAP. Sesshoumaru." He closed the phone and smiled. At last he had found the courage to what needed to be done


	11. At the Lady's Beck and Call

Title At the Lady's Beck and Call

Author landofthekwt

Rating K

Prompt Politeness, n. The most acceptable hypocrisy. -Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Inuyasha Quotes- June 2010 week 4

Chapter 11 of Nights in White Satin

Word Count 1051

Warning none

Summary The Lady summons Kagome to her palace

She was surprised and concerned when she received the summons to come to Desjima. Only once before had visited the Dowager's palace on the artificial island in Nagasaki bay. The memory of that trip always made her shudder.

She had been whisked away from her family shrine near Tokyo to Nagasaki by people who reminded her of yakuza or anime ninjas under suspicious circumstances. They were so threatening that they really did not need to bind and gag her.

The thrill ride had continued as they jetted to Kyushu. Finally, a boat ride to island in the harbor.

Like every school girl she had learned about Desjima in school. The government had only recently begun rebuilding the Dutch trading post on the island.

Once on the island she was taken to subterranean chambers which reminded her of pictures of Hell that she had seen depicted. At last she reached a magnificent palace located in the center of the cavern. When she entered the palace, she was given clothing and told to make herself presentable.

Handmaidens had appeared to help her dress in clothing which made her like one of the anime characters in feudal stories she used to watch as a child. Just when she began to wonder who dressed like that any more she was brought before the Lady herself.

Her handlers had forced to bow before the woman ensconced on the throne. When she finally dared to look up, she saw a beautiful woman with platinum blond hair pulled into pig tails dressed in a magnificent kimono. She had two fur boas draped around her and a pearl necklace with an emerald pendant.

"Why I am here?" Kagome asked. Her head was rudely forced to the earth.

One of the guards hissed in her ear"You do not have permission to speak to the Honored Mother."

"Enough, This is a social call. You can leave us now." With a waive of her hand she dismissed the guards leaving her alone with the terrified girl.

"You still have not told me why I am here?"

"Impertinent little thing, aren't you. You are here because I want to know if you are worthy of my son. Your background and bloodline have been checked, but only I can make the final decision."

"And who might your son be ?"

"He is Lord Sesshoumaru Taisho."

"Sesshoumaru. What does my fiancé have to do with this?"

"Everything. Do you think that it was chance that you met? Do you think that I would allow my son to marry the wrong woman? Nothing must be left to chance in matters of succession. Blood will tell."

The rest of the night was a blur. She did not see the Lady again until the wedding where she stood at the head of the Taisho delegation. Why now? What could the Lady want to see her about now? Her mind swirled as she sorted through possible scenarios. Only one answer emerged. The summons had to be about her relationship with Sesshoumaru.

The boat docked and a waiting car took her to entrance to the subterranean palace. She was shown to a rock garden where the Lady had tea service prepared for her. An unease spread across her face as the Lady looked up at her as she was trying to decide something.

She remembered that look. It almost made her feel like she was some small animal and the Lady was trying to decide the best way to kill her. That was crazy talk, but she remained unconvinced that the woman had her interest at heart.

The Lady must have decided something about Kagome. She motioned for the girl to sit beside her. Kagome reluctantly sat down and took the tea which the Lady offered to her though she wondered if she should fear poison.

" Are you happy with my son,Kagome?"

Kagome was surprised by the question. " Why do you ask?"

"Do you ever wish that you had married someone else?"

"No, I love Sesshoumaru. I cannot imagine being with anyone else."

"Sometimes we do not always get what you want. What would you if you were no longer married to Sesshoumaru? Do you have any dreams that you could not pursue because you chose to marry my son?"

Kagome was disturbed by the tone of the questions. She wondered where the Lady was going with line of questions. No matter what else happened she knew that she loved Sesshoumaru and would not give up on her marriage. Just then her cell phone vibrated.

"Pardon me. Can I take this call?"

The Lady gave her a wave of her hand even though she found it horribly rude of one to take a call in the middle of such an important interview. Kagome flipped open the phone and saw that she had a text message. She pressed for the message and gasped. Everything went black and she fainted dead away.

The Lady was at her side in an instant trying to rouse her. When Kagome began to recover, she took out her own phone and called for immediate medical assistance. She picked up Kagome's phone and stared at the message. The idiot. One should not leave these matters to amateurs.

Her personal physician arrived shortly and took Kagome in hand. They were able to revive her sufficiently to run a battery of tests before putting her to bed. As the doctor was leaving, he handed her the results of the tests to the Lady.

"How is Kagome?"

" She is fine. She just fainted and is resting comfortably. I gave her something to help her sleep. I think you should look at those test results. I think it might surprise you."

The Lady scanned the papers and gasped " Is this correct?"

" Ninety-nine percent sure."

She thought for a moment." Cross check this with the materials you have on hand. I need to know for sure. Get back to me as soon as possible. As always use discretion. These results are for my eyes only."

" Of course, my Lady" he bowed and left leaving the Lady wondering what she could do to salvage the situation before Sesshoumaru destroyed everything she had worked for.


	12. Ghosts of the Past

Title Ghosts of the Past

Author landofthekwt

Rating PG-13

Prompt Ghosts (Inuyasha Themes #40)

Word Count 1000

Genre 3rd Rate Cosplayers

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kikyou (lovers) Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes)

Inuyasha /Kagoem (friends)

Warning some minor horror film props

Summary Kikyou and Kagome come face to face with their past and their future

It had to be a dream. Kikyou found herself strapped to an altar. Her sister was similar to a different altar only a few feet away. A samurai with a viscous katana stood between them. He seemed to be one of the living dead.

Skeletons clad in rich robes were enthroned on either side of the altars as far as her eye could see. Evil intelligence seemed to glimmer within the skulls. A din could be heard as if the dead were trying to make themselves heard.

She had not seen such stupid outfits since Sesshoumaru had dragged her to the temples in Yoshino. The Emperors of that time were fat slobs who slept with anyone in the court wearing a beasts deserved to have their balls cut off.

The room came into greater focus. She would have screamed if she had not been gagged already. Turning slightly toward her sister she could see the fear in Kagome's eyes. The questions ran through her mind. Who was doing this? Where were they? Why were they doing this?

Why her and Kagome? The two of them had not spoken for years. The encounter at the plaza was the first time they had seen each other in ages. The two of them had never anything in common except Sesshoumaru.

At the moment Sesshoumaru was still a sore subject. She had been avoiding him for some time until she determined where her heart. She still loved him. His messages still proclaimed his love, but after New York she was wary of his promises.

The where appeared to the temple in Yoshino which had been dedicated to the Emperors of the Southern Court. Sesshoumaru seemed to be obsessed by it when they visited. The who were probably those ghoulies who were dressed the garb of the Southern Court.

At length the skeletons began to speak with one voice. " Blessed are you among women. You bear our future within your wombs. All our hopes and all our prayers are with you."

A spotlight appeared. There stood Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru oblivious to their surroundings.

"Pay no attention to them. They merely provided raw material for the new empire. You are vessels who will carry us to victory. Do not fail us."

The crowd of beings surged forward toward the girls. Knives were drawn. Some called for the babies to delivered right now. Others urged patience. The debate ebbed and flowed. Kikyou felt the edge of cold steel against her skin. She wished that she had not mocked the kami

In the midst of the din, a voice emerged " I swear on my life that I will complete the task of uniting the Southern House to you appointed me. Have I ever failed you? I produced the son you required me to produce. I stood aside while my husband took another knowing that such a son was necessary to bring the lines of South together. I made sure that Sesshoumaru married Kagome and Inuyasha married Kikyou so that the lines could be connected. Our great work has come to fruition at last. Do not be hasty.."

There was hesitation. Then one of the skeletons approached her knife in hand " If you fail we will devour your flesh and use your bones to pick our teeth." He seized her wrist and cut it so that the blood dripped upon the altar and boiled "Swear"

"I swear." She responded. The specters retreated satisfied that their mission had been successful. Kikyou turned her head to see who had saved them and gasped. There with her white hair streaming unbound in the moonlight was Sesshoumaru's mother.

Kagome gasped. It had been a horrible nightmare. Those creepy ghouls. What in the world did they want? She spun back into the world of the living and found herself face to face with Sesshoumaru's mother.

" How are you feeling Kagome?"

"I had the strangest dream. These Heian Era cosplayers kept going on about how Kikyou and I were carrying their future within our wombs. They were prepared to cut us open to take the unborn children from us. We were just baby makers to them nothing more."

"Do you remember anything else?"

"I think we were in Yoshino. The skeletons wore the costumes that the Emperors who ruled there wore. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were there, but we were told that they were unimportant. At the end we were unimportant. Until someone stepped in to save us."

Kagome suddenly realized " It was you."

The Lady scoffed. "But I have been here the whole time watching over after you fainted."

Kagome nodded even more confused. It was all so fussy and even now it was fading. Could it all have been a bad dream? She tried to remember why she was here. The Lady had summoned her. Just as she was about to tell her why she was here, she received that damn text message from Sesshoumaru. She looked around for her cell phone.

"Are you looking for this, Kagome?" the Lady held up her cell phone. "I need you to calm yourself. There is something I need to tell you."

The blaring of alarms awoke Kikyou. She had a terrible headache. Nausea rolled over her in waves. On top of that she had just had the worst nightmare. She wondered to herself how things could get any worse?

She had been assured that the security was the finest in Japan. They served the Imperial House no one could get past them. Yet the alarms were still blaring. On top of that someone was pounding on her door. Who could it be at this time of night?

She threw on a dressing gown and stumbled downstairs. Glancing at the monitor, she was surprised to see Sesshoumaru standing there. She released the locks and opened the door yelling " Sesshoumaru, Why the hell are you here?" and promptly vomited on the Prince.


	13. Getting Lost in Loving Is Your Mistake

Title Getting Lost in Her Loving Is Your First Mistake

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Mistake (Inuyasha Themes #

Word Count 750

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) Sesshoumaru/Kikyou (lovers) Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes)

Inuyasha/Kagome (friends)

In all the time he had been with Kikyou he had never seen her like this. One minute she was sobbing. The next she was yelling horrible rebukes at him. Through it all she was incoherent. She fought him every step of the way as he stripped her, showered her and put her to bed. Finally, exhausted she slept.

While she slept, he had a chance to clean up. If she had still been at their Tokyo place, he would have had a fresh change of clothes waiting for him in the closet. He suspected that his clothes and everything else of his had been tossed out as soon as she returned. Not that he blamed her. In his mind it was all his fault.

His man would be coming soon with a fresh change of clothes. The Imperial physician had been alerted. The best medical care in Japan. They would found out what was wrong with Kikyou and cure her. When she was well, things would be perfect. He was ready for his happily ever after. As soon as he met with Kagome they could all move on.

He watched her as she slept and thought of all the things that he wanted to say to her. To show her how he really felt about her. A Night at the Plaza should not erase a lifetime together. That was what he wanted. A lifetime together with her. There would no more Kagome. Only her. If he only could make her believe.

In his dream reunion she had begged his forgiveness and he had munificently granted it. Together they celebrated his impending liberation from Kagome. That reunion would have to wait. The sooner he took her to the doctor the better. It seemed like the night would never end. The vomiting the clean up. He had to keep tell himself that all be worth it in the end.

When morning woke her, showered her and dressed her. She refused all food. He was thankful for that after spending most of the night beside the toilet with her. When he tried to carry her, she refused. She still had some dignity. Wherever they were going she still wanted to go with her head held high.

When they arrived at the clinic, he was impressed with surroundings. The gardens. The little stream. It all seemed so peaceful. Not a place to be sick. A place to be well. He knew he had made the right decision in coming. Kikyou just had to get well again.

Kikyou was led into the examination room and told to strip. She found the lights bright and the furniture cold. What she would not give to be back in her apartment. A man came in and asked her to describe her symptoms. Headache. Nausea. Vomiting. Fever. Chills. Blood and urine were taken from her. The usual physical examination was done.

If she was here, she was a person important to the Prince. Nothing should be overlooked. The clinic was professional and through. They were here to serve the Imperial family and its branches. No expense would be spared in rooting out the cause of this woman's illness

Kikyou waited. After the tests it seemed like forever. Why was she forced to wear this ridiculous gown? It was humiliating that she had to be here at all. Sesshoumaru had practically dragged her here. She just wanted it to be over. What was taking them so long? Just a few tests.

He was the last person she wanted to see right now. Certainly, not now. Not sick. She wanted to be strong with him. He had hurt her. All she wanted to do was scream at him. It bothered her that he was being so nice. It infuriated her

Sesshoumaru was summoned to the office of the chief physician of the clinic. He wondered why he was here. It was just the flu after all. They would give her something to deal with the symptoms and they would go back to his home. No more hiding from the world. They were meant to be together.

The doctor came in and smiled. Royals and their affairs. It made interesting reading in the tabloids. The job of the royal physician was keeping the affairs private. Nothing passed these doors. All the data protected . The staff sworn by the Emperor to secrecy. .

"Lord Sesshoumaru, is there something you want to tell me about you and the young lady.?"


	14. Shattered

Title Shattered

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Lies (Inuyasha Themes)

Genre Bastards

Word Count 249

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) Sesshoumaru/Kikyou (lovers) Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes)

Inuyasha/Kagome (friends)

He stared at the crystal decanter. It was empty just as his life was. All his hopes. All his dreams were gone with the doctors words. He did not have the strength to go on.

When the doctor told him that Kikyou was carrying a child that was not his he had shattered into a million pieces. He had his people take her home because he could not bear to face her.

They had always been so careful for his sake. Both knew that a Royal could not have a child out of wedlock. Yet there it was.

If it had been his would he have rejoiced. Would he have been happy? He dreamed of having children with Kikyou after they were married not before.

How could he bear to be with her knowing that she was bearing another man's child? He was aware that many men raised others children, but he could not honestly say that he was willing to do so.

The news would soon hit the palace. His mother would surely know. He needed spin control All his leverage with Kagome and his mother had vanished.

He threw the crystal decanter. It shattered as it hit a Ming Vase. Two million dollars of crystal and pottery scattered on the floor like his heart.

He started to laugh. If only Kikyou was not pregnant with another's child they could have the life they had always dreamed of. If only. A smile crept over his face. If only.


	15. Stipulations

Title Stipulations

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt You can't fix stupid- Ron White (Inuyasha Quotes April 2010

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) Sesshoumaru/Kikyou(lovers) Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes)

Inuyasha/ Kagome (friends)

Warning Discussion of sex, pregnancy and divorce.

Summary Sesshoumaru has his divorce meeting with Kagome

She sipped her tea and gazed out the window. The news had been startling. Pregnant with Sesshoumaru's child. She should be happy after what she had been through. What they had been through. Why did she feel so empty?

Maybe it was because her husband had been carrying on an affair with Kikyou their entire marriage. Maybe it was because of the text message from Sesshoumaru which had caused her to faint. Maybe it was because he wanted to meet to discuss divorce.

The fact that her mother-in-law knew that she was pregnant before she did bothered her. She never did tell Kagome why she had been summoned to her palace, but if she had to hazard a guess, her mother-in-law had intended to tell her that she was no longer a member of family.

When she came to the woman was suddenly beside herself in trying to be helpful to Kagome. It was obvious that she wanted the baby as much as Kagome, but Kagome did not want her approval she wanted Sesshoumaru's.

She checked her messages. The text from Sesshoumaru was still there glaring at her. She had no intention of meeting him to discuss a divorce. In the wake of the baby news, the divorce meeting had somehow slipped her mind

Today was the day that she was supposed to meet with him. She must have forgotten to put in her tickler file. Well, she was not about to attend such a meeting. If he wanted to talk to her, he would have to come to her.

Her mother-in-law seemed to known about Sesshoumaru's message. Why else would she have been solicitous and told her not to worry about her son? What did she mean that she would take care of everything and that everything would alright?

The shoji door slid open and Sesshoumaru entered the room. He was elegant as always in his Armani suit. Just as Kagome remembered him. The perfect little doll that she used to love playing with. Odd that that image of him should come to mind at this time.

"What can I do for you. Sesshoumaru?"

He always hated when she did not address him by his title. As if she was ever his equal. Certainly not his lover. He tried to mask his anger. His lawyer had told him what the Imperial Court could do to his Stipulation if she did not acquiese

These days the Imperial Court lived and died off public relations. They would have no use for scandals from a minor branch. She had to go willingly If she did not he would have to give his rank and title for the woman he loved.

"Kagome, I waited for two hours for you in my office. Where were you?"

"I was right here eating breakfast having no other business today."

" I texted you."

" Really?" Kagome rolled her eyes.

Obviously Kagome was not going to make this easy. He walked over to her dropping stipulation on the table and sat down. Flipping to the signature page, he said

" I need you to sign here in front of notary. I can have one here in a minute."

She stared at him. Did he really expect her to sign away her marriage without reading what his lawyers had written. As she looked closer, she saw that the confidence that had always been there had been eroded by desperation. She needed to play for time.

"Can't I look at this later? I am eating my breakfast. Your mother wants to take to Ginza to shop for the baby."

Sesshoumaru's heart stopped " What baby?"

"Why our baby of course. Her physicians discovered that I was pregnant when I passed out during my meeting with her at her palace in Dejima. I wondered why I had fainted. Isn't that great news?"

" Whose baby is it?"

" Why ours of course. They checked for paternity right away"

" How? We haven't slept together for months."

"Not true. There was that Night at the Plaza"

The Night at the Plaza. It kept coming back to haunt him. First, Kikyou pregnant with Inuyasha's baby. Now Kagome pregnant with his baby. The day could not get any worse. Still he had to get his temper under control. The day could still be saved if Kagome just signed the stipulation.

" But how, I thought all the tests showed that you were barren."

"Apparently the tests were wrong. I do not know how. I just know the I am pregnant. Isn't that what we always wanted? We tried so hard for so long. Maybe it was just the heat of the moment.

Doesn't this change everything? You can't just divorce me when our baby , your heir is on the way."

Sesshoumaru was now furious. How dare she try to corner him to staying the marriage for the sake of the baby. He was Prince Sesshoumaru Taisho, not salaryman whom she could entrap by having a child. She would sign or else.

"This changes nothing. I have never loved you. I love only Kikyou. This child will never be my heir. Sign now and preserve your dignity, your titles and a future for you and your child. Otherwise, I will make you wish that you had never been born"

She tore up the papers and threw them in his face. "This is what I think of your stipulation."

He restrained himself from hitting her. Normally, he had gotten his way with her with sexual dominance. They were beyond that none. Beyond any hope of reconciliation. All that remained for them was divorce. He stood and left the room. As he was leaving he turned and spoke.

"You will be hearing from my attorneys"


	16. Hello Mother Hello Father

Title Hello Mother, Hello Father

Aurhor landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Week 4: An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind. - Mahatma Gandhi

(Inuyasha Quotes January 2010

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome (Married) Inuyasha/Kikyou exes Sesshoumaru/Kikyous (lovers)

Warning Pregnancy Tests and Paternity Tests

Summary Inuysaha confronts Kikyou

He stared at the report again. Torn between anger and elation. Anger that he had been served with the papers at a board meeting. Anger that she should use legal means to tell him something that should have been whispered in the bedroom. Elated that the results of the paternity tests showed that there was a 99.99 percent chance that he was the father of Higurashi Kikyou's baby. Elated because he thought he would never see his exwife again and now he had an excuse.

Getting in had been the tricky part. His family was part of the zaibistu which owned this building Not even Kikyou could know that. Entrance to the building was strictly controlled, but he had a pass. Why was elevator taking so long? One hundred floors was just two much. Luckily he had a key for the penthouse switch in the elevator. Another Japanese skyscraper with a penthouse. The perfect place for Kikyou.

The door opened into a garden. It bothered him that no one was around. Midweek, workweek. You would have expected a receptionist and cubicles filled with artists producing designs for the top Japanese fashion designer. Guards should be omnipresent barring his way. He heard a beep when he left the elevator. Puzzling, he finally realized that the elevator had released him because he was authorized to be there.

He wound his way there the garden past the rock garden Through a maze of topiary. Over the little bridge. He stopped to watch the koi. Staring at the ceiling he saw that the building had a transparent roof which allowed sunlight to shine on the garden. No other light source other than solar powered walk lights. Finally, he came to an onsen. There with a tablet in hand was his exwife wrapped only in a towel. His heart was in his mouth. She had never looked more beautiful. Involuntarily, he gasped. Kikyou screamed and scrambled out of the onsen.

'What the fuck are you doing here?" She yelled

Inuyasha began to laugh. Watching her scream at him with only a towel was actually quite funny. She started throwing things. Rocks, leaves, twigs. Anything that was not nailed down. When that failed to stop his advance toward she informed that security was on the way. He shook his head.

"Then I will just have to state my business and be on my way."

Kikyou stilled as he stood close enough that his breath warmed her wet skin. She looked up at him. He handed her a file folder and crossed his arms.

"Explain this."

Kikyou would have thrown the papers back in his face, but the sight of her name caught her attention. The title read "Re: Paternity of Baby Doe. Mother Highurashi Kikyou. She looked up at him and asked "What is this and where did you get it?"

"I was going to ask you that Kikyou. Government Agents came to my boardroom during a meeting to inform me that I had to accompany them to an Imperial Laboratory where I was to be tested. They made sure I went without telling me why. When we got there,, DNA samples were taken from me against my will. After they completed the tests, I was allowed to go. They never told me what the tests were for. I was able to use my connections afterward to obtain this report. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I was being tested for the paternity of your baby. Why didn't you tell me instead of subjecting me to this farce.?"

While Inuyasha spoke to her, Kikyou flipped quickly through the pages of the report. The results of the tests were as plain as day. The doctors lied to her. The tests were not for the flu. They were to determine whether or not she was pregnant. The doctors noted that the report for eyes only, but indicated that Sesshoumaru Taisho among others. The bastard had lied to her or at least omitted the truth.

"Damn."

"My thoughts exactly."

"No, I mean Sesshoumaru lied to me. He took me to the Imperial Clinic because he thought that I had the flu. They performed pregnancy tests on me without informing me. Sesshoumaru sent me home without ever telling me."

" Did he tell you that the child is mine?"

"Yours. What do you mean? "

"The paternity tests which were performed on me confirm that I am the father."

Kikyou checked that test. She also examined the doctor's notes. Sesshoumaru knew that the child was not his when they left the clinic. No wonder he had not taken her home. He could not face her knowing that she was bearing another man's child. She shuddered to think about his reaction once he learned that the father was Inuyasha. The ruin that was her Night at the Plaza which was to have been her moment of triumph when Sesshoumaru chose her over Kagome was complete. It was all over between her and Sesshoumaru after all these years and everything she had gone through.

"What are you thinking, Kikyou? Aren't you happy?"

Her daze turned to anger. How could he say such a thing? The last thing in the world was to be pregnant with the child of a man she did not love. As if such a thing would make her happy

"Get out"

"What?"

"You heard me. Get out."

She motioned to the uniformed security guards who had finally arrived to take him away. They grabbed him, but he shrugged them off. Finally he allowed to herd him out of the he turned.

"You haven't seen the last of me, Kikyou. That is my baby, you are carrying I may not be a royal, but my family is powerful"

Kikyou was glad to see him go. She was glad that she had divorced him. If only her family had not insisted on her marrying him in the first place. Men were scum. First Sesshoumaru and now Inuyasha. Controlling bastards who just wanted to get into your pants.

Inuyasha finally reached the elevator. When it opened, there stood Sesshoumaru.


	17. The Valentine's Day Massacre

Title The Valentine's Day Massacre

Author landofthekwt

Prompt "Sometimes the measure of friendship isn't your ability to not harm but your capacity to forgive the things done to you and ask forgiveness for your own mistakes." - Randy K. Milholland, Something Positive Comic, 11-07-05 Inuyasha Quotes February 2008

Chapter 17 of Night's in White Satin

Word Count 1250

Warning Sex and language

Summary Sesshoumaru proposes

A/N This chapter is dedicated to Madmiko who sent me an Inuyasha plush for the winning story in the last contest for the Inuyasha Themes Live Journal Community.. Thanks., Madmiko. Here's looking at you, Inuyasha.

For a moment they stared at each other, brother to brother. Sharing the same blood from their father. Both in love with the same woman. Both sharing a secret knowledge of the precious life already growing inside their beloved. Both raised in families with money and power Well educated. Skilled in languages Both served in the Japanese Defense Force. Heirs who were expected to succeed to their father's estate when called upon. Both fathers died young leaving the boys through wealth and power

The similarities ended there. One had a royal pedigree. The other a royal bastard adopted by his step father's family. Sesshoumaru never worked a day in his life, while Inuyasha was required to learn every aspect of his family's business. Sesshoumaru was trained to understand the niceties of royal protocol dating back to the Heian Era. One respected the ancient. The other was throughly modern. Kikyou was Inuyasha's exwife, while she was Sesshoumaru's lover. Kagome was Inuyasha's best friend and confidant while she was Sesshoumaru's wife.

"Stay the hell away from Kikyou and my baby, bastard."

"After tonight, Kikyou will be mine and there will be no baby. The only bastard here is you."

They were ready to rumble. Sesshoumaru stepped off the elevator supremely confident that his bodyguards would wipe the floor with Inuyasha. Inuyasha on the other hand was being held by Kikyou's burly security guards. To Sesshoumaru 's surprise , the guards were not permitted to exit the elevator. Instead, the security guards dragged Inuyasha into the elevator kicking and screaming. Sesshoumaru was left alone in Kikyou's garden thinking about Inuyasha's tirade. Of course the baby was Inuyasha's. It was the only logical conclusion,but after tonight, all his worries would be over...

Sesshoumaru found Kikyou in a stunning silk bathrobe kimono which he recognized from her shows. She was collecting her tablet and tea things to leave for the evening. Sesshoumaru came up behind grabbed her from behind and kissed her on the neck. Her reaction was to try to stomp his foot, kick him in the knee and punch him in solar plexus. Fortunately, he had foreseen her moves and pinned her in his arms. Still pinned, he turned her in his arms, capturing her lips until she finally stilled and began responding to him. When he thought she was ready he whispered in her ear.

" Will you marry me?"

Her heart stopped. She had waited how many years for those words from him. Always promised but never delivered. Always a lover and never a wife. Hers in secret, but not hers in the open. Why now? She had to know.

"Don't you already have a wife?"

"Kagome is being served with papers as we speak."

"You have been telling me that you will divorce her for as long as I have known you. What is different now.?"

"You are the woman I love and I want you at my side when I make the announcement to the press. We can announce our engagement at the same time."

"Are you serious?"

Sesshoumaru released her and went to one knee before her. She gasped when he took out a ring from his pocket. Taking her hand, he poised the ring on her ring finger of her left hand. She waited

breathlessly having waited for this moment all her life.

"Will you marry me, Higurashi Kikyou?"

Silence hung in the air until Kikyou finally breathed "Yes"

Sesshoumaru slid the ring on her finger. He took her in his arms and kissed her waiting lips. Her bathing yukata slid off her shoulders to the ground leaving her naked in his arms. Just the way he had pictured this night.

Never had she been so passionate. He would take her right here. Right now. By the onsen. He had missed her so much. She might not have Kagome's passion, but it was not Kagome he wanted to be with. It was Kikyou he loved. Their lovemaking was fast and furious.

Kikyou basked in the afterglow gazing at the ring. All her anger toward Sesshoumaru was gone. Soon he would hers forever. She would by his side tomorrow and for the rest of her life.

"Tell me about the ring, koi. It is unusual. Is it an antique?'

"The Emperor Go-Daigo gave it to his Empress when they wed in 1307. It has been in our family ever since."

"Why didn't you give it to Kagome?"

"Because she is not my Empress. You are beloved."

Kikyou relaxed against his to his heart. Something was troubling him. She could tell.

"Is there something I need to know?"

He stilled. Now was a good time to broach this subject. Surely, she would agree since she was so happy.

"Before we marry, there is just one small thing I need to you to do." He whispered.

"Anything dearest"

"I need you to have an abortion."

Kikyou sat up and looked at him sharply "What?"

"The divorce itself is going to create enough scandal. We can't have you pregnant with another man's child. We will both cut ours ties to the past. I will divorce Kagome and you will have an abortion. That way we can have a fresh start for our new any preexisting entanglements."

Kikyou was silent. How dare he bring such an ugly thing up on the night of their engagement? After she had just given herself to him. Forgave him for what he had done with Kagome. She might not want to have Inuyasha's baby, but that was her decision not his to make. He should not be asking her to do this. Not here. Definitely, not now.

"What are you thinking, beloved.?"

"Don't beloved me. How dare you come in here. Ask me to marry you. Fuck me and then turn around and ask me to have an abortion"

"But I thought..."

" You weren't thinking of me. Only of yourself. Only worried about how it would look if I gave birth to Inuyasha's baby"

" I forgave you for sleeping with Inuyasha. I am divorcing Kagome, but I will not raise Inuyasha's bastard. After everything I have done for you, can't you do this one little thing for me.."

"Everything is not about you Get out and take Go-Daigo's ring with you."

She took off the ring and threw it . When Sesshoumaru bent over to find the ring, she kicked him in the butt so that he fell flat on his face. She threw his clothes on top of him. Walking over to the kotatsu, she picked up a box of chocolate a manufacturer had sent threw them at him.

"Happy Valentine's Day. Hope you enjoy your chocolates, Sesshoumaru You will never get them or anything else from me again."

"You will regret this, Kikyou.."

"I doubt it. Get the hell out of my penthouse and out of my life."

"You will see. You want to be with me as much as I want to be with you. I will wait"

Kikyou did not respond, instead she buzzed for security. By the time they go there. Sesshoumaru and Kikyou were dressed. She could not bear to look at him. He sighed and relented as they led him to the elevator. Things had not worked out as he planned. What was he going to do now? When Sesshoumaru was finally gone, Kikyou broke down and cried all the tears for all the years that she had wasted on Sesshoumaru.


	18. A Shot Across the Bow

Title A Shot Across the Bow

Author landofthekwt

Word Count 1245

Prompt March 2008 Inuyasha Quotes"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes) Sesshoumaru/Kikyou ( lovers)

Inuyasha/Kagome friends

Warning none

Summary Kagome is served

She was waiting, but for what she did not know. Her husband has left in anger promising she would regret her decision not to sign the stipulation. She had never even read the stipulation much less considered signing it.

She tried to pass the time by doing the little things around the house. Eating in the formal dining room. Taking walks in the garden. She missed newspapers, computers, TV. All the media that she had been cut off from.

Her calendar was clear. Normally, she would have appearances on behalf of the family. It was almost if she was being eased out of her role. She decided that she would see the Secretary. Surely, he knew why she had been cut off.

Unfortunately, he was always out or busy whenever she inquired. She tried to rouse the Steward, but he was somehow she always missed him. If she did not know better she might have thought that she was dealing with a conspiracy of silence.

She was restless. Once she had been a dynamic person before she met Sesshoumaru. Somehow he had turned her into an isolated person totally dependent on other people. She was not happy with the person she had become.

There had been so much emphasis on producing an heir. She had been under so much pressure Sex had become a job. Her duty as a princess had turned into a baby maker. The problem was that she had never produced any babies.

She had been willing to endure the endless charts and doctor visits because she thought that her husband loved her and that the child they produced would make everything she went through work it.

Instead, she found that while she had been suffering he had been carrying on his affair with his sister the entire time they were married. Her life was a lie. Her marriage was a lie. Why couldn't she just accept the lie and move on?

Because she loved Sesshoumaru. That realization hit her hard. She was not ready to let him go just when she had finally achieved the goal that she had struggled with since the beginning of their marriage.

In the midst of the disaster that was the Plaza a child had been conceived. She had hated him more on that night than she had ever felt toward him. Yet that passion had been channeled into a night of love-making that she would never forget.

It was that night that gave her hope. Her passion had been matched by Sesshoumaru's. If he really felt nothing for her, he never would have been the inferno he was that night. If only he could realize that she was the only one that he could reach those heights of passion, they could still save their marriage.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rapping at her bedroom door. Having retired early she assumed that since she would be allowed solitude in the place which had become her refuge. She hurried to the door and found the Secretary whom she had sought all day standing before her. He shoved a sheaf of papers into her hands, bowed and left without a word.

Kagome watched him retreat down the stairs toward his office. After he retreated, she glanced at the papers in her hands. Sesshoumaru had warned her that his attorneys would make her life miserable. The legal system was as much of a mystery to her just as royal etiquette and protocol had been to her before she became a princess.

She retreated to her room and began to peruse the documents which she had been handed. The more she read the angrier she became. How could he say those things about her? He had no right. She was the one injured not him. He was the adulterer not her. She was carrying his child not Inuyasha's. The only shred of truth within these papers was the one that stated that they were married.

The very idea that she had been intimate with Inuyasha shocked her. She had been the one to save him from the depths of despair when her sister abandoned him on their . She had not offered him her bed. She had offered him a shoulder to cry on. Neither of them realized at the time her husband and his wife spent that night together in the same hotel that the honeymoon was to have begun.

Sesshoumaru must be an idiot if he thought that he could get away with such lies. Either that or he had no respect for her. He must be counting on her crumbling under the press of his attorneys. She was not about to give up. If he wanted a fight, she was just the woman to do so. By the time she got through with him, it would be him that wished that he had never been born.

She heard the door to her room creak open. There he stood, the same god who had stolen her heart the first time they met. She had felt it instantly. The passion between them was almost uncontrollable. The whirlwind courtship. The perfect romance. The storybook wedding. She was everyone's Cinderella. Raised out of the ashes by him to be his princess. Her happily ever after

Now she knew that most of it was a lie. He had never loved her only Kikyou. She had been chosen for him by his mother for her bloodline. A way to revive a heritage dead for seven hundred years. If only they could produce a male heir maybe, they could capture the throne from the current pretenders who could not produce one.

"Hn"

"Is that all you have to say?"

"I am surprised that you are still here. You were served with the divorce papers after all"

"You mean this tissue of lies."

"Lies. My life is a lie. Your life is a lie. Our marriage is a lie. One man's lie is another's truth."

:"I am not carrying Inuyasha's child. I have never been intimate with Inuyasha. I have seen the tests that prove that the child is yours."

"Tests can be doctored. Physicians can be corrupted. You flew to New York with Inuyasha. You were both seen entering the Plaza. You were both in the same room together where the child was conceived. As twins you and Kikyou have the same DNA. That is why Mother chose you since Kikyou was to be married to Inuyasha. I wanted Kikyou. You were forced on me to produce a male heir which you failed miserably at. The test results now show that the child you bear is Inuyasha's"

Kagome was stunned. She had underestimated his treachery again. Just when she thought that he could not sink lower in her estimation, he did. Why was she bothering with him? If he was willing to do this to her, the marriage itself was not worth saving. She should just take any bone that he was willing to offer her and slink off into the sunset. Finally, she found her voice.

" I won't let you get away with this. I will fight you. So long as I have breath I will never surrender"

An evil glint shown in Sesshoumaru's eyes. " I was hoping you would say that. The divorce papers were simply a shot across the bow. I intend to take you through hell and back. Enjoy your life here for the moment, Princess Once I am through with you, you will be back in the gutter where I found you." With those words, Sesshoumaru left, slamming the door leaving a stunned Kagome to ponder his words.


	19. Scorched Earth

Title Scorched Earth

Author landofthekwt

Rating PG-13

Prompt Inuyasha Quotes May 2009 Week 4: Pride and humiliation hand in hand

Walked with them through the world where'er they went;

Trampled and beaten where they as the sand,

And yet unshaken as the continent - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome (married) (lovers) Inuyasha/Kikyou (exes)

Inuyasha/Kagome (best friends)

Word Count 1395

Warning none

Summary Sesshoumaru fires the second salvo in the divorce war.

She decided to go shopping to overcome her depression about the divorce. It always seemed to lift her spirits. She dressed quickly and looked around for a driver. Finding none she searched the house. All the servants seemed to have vanished.

Perplexed she tried calling for a cab, but her phone was completely dead. Searching through the palace she found a phone that was still working. She waited forty five minutes before driver showed. It was unnerving having to deal with a commoner. She felt completely helpless.

When they arrived at the mall, she paid him handsomely from the money in her purse and went on her way. Once she arrived at the shops all the thrills of shopping came back to her and she threw herself enthusiastically into the enterprise.

When she was done she carried her purchased up to the check stand. She handed the clerk the card issued to every member of the Imperial Family. He swiped it and stared at the message he received. She stewed as he phoned for his manager. When he arrived , he was equally nonplused.

"Princess. I am being requested to take all Imperial Credit Cards in your possession"

She stared at him. What was going on? "Can I call my husband?"

They handed her the phone. To her surprise Sesshoumaru answered on the first ring. "What is it?"

"They won't take my credit card"

He laughed " Oh, yes they will. Give me the manager."

Kagome watched as the manager's face twisted in shock. When they were done. He called for security. " Princess, I am afraid that I am going to need all your cards."

"You can't do this."

"Princess I am afraid I have no choice."

Kagome stared at the guard surrounding her. She felt very vulnerable, intimidated and embarrassed. Sighing she rummaged through her purse until all the cards were in hands of manager. It was painful watching him shred them. Her life was being cut up before her eyes.

"Happy now?"

"I am sorry, Princess. I am just following orders."

She stormed out of the store. Stopping for espresso she counted the money in her purse. She had

100,000 yen left. Not enough money to buy anything. The cab would take most of her money. The alternatives were the bus and the train. She had not used either since she had become a royal due to security concerns.

She walked past a bookstore. To her surprise there she was on front page of tabloids her face plastered next to Inuyasha. The headline read "Royal Harlot Pregnant with Commoner's Baby."

She stared at it in disbelief. This was all wrong. The baby was Sesshoumaru's not Inuyasha's. Sesshoumaru had to be behind this smear campaign. She would fix his wagon.

"There she is." Yelled paparazzi as cameras flashed around It had never occurred to her that she would be notorious. She ran with the press on her heels .Darting through several stores and hiding behind counters she was finally able to elude them. Winded she stopped in a ladies room to rest. She had never seen anything so dirty in her life.

She tried calling Inuyasha When he did not answer at his home, she tried his office but he was in a meeting. Not sure what to do she went outside to hail a cab. The cab ride home was a dismal affair. It was raining and felt like heaven itself was against her. At least at home she would find solace. The palace had been her solace when Sesshoumaru had deserted her for Kikyou.

A warm bath. Oden. Curl up under the covers and pretend she was fifteen again. Tomorrow she would get to the bottom of this, but for tonight she just needed the comforts of home. When she reached the palace gate she found a member of the National Police placing a padlock on the gate. She paid the driver and exited the cab to find out what was going on.

The sign read. " Entrance Forbidden Under Punishment of Law." It was signed. by a Judge whose name Kagome could not make out. The policeman looked at her.

"You would not happen to be Princess Kagome, would you?"

Kagome hesitated and shrugged. Denial was no good. She had never denied who she was. Once she had been a simple shrine girl who had been made a princess by a handsome prince. Now it appeared that all that was to be taken away from her. She had hoped that Inuyasha would ride to her rescue like he was always had. Now that hope seemed vain. At least she still had the shrine to fall back on. The policeman shoved papers into her hands and said " You are served"

Kagome looked forlorn " What will I do? Can't I get my clothes at least. My phone does not work. How can I simply be evicted from my home?"

The policeman looked sympathetically at her. He had seem this tactic used a million times in divorce cases. Usually it was the wife who kicked the husband out of the family home. Judges always figured that men could survived without a home while women and children could not.

"I am sorry Princess, but the Judge granted the Princes's Temporary Restraining Order. The palace belongs to the Imperial House. Since he is blood, it is his Part of my duty was to evict you from the premises. Since you were not here, I secured the premises. Entrance to the estate and its grounds would violated that court order. I would suggest you get a lawyer. You are going to need one. Just my opinion of course. Do you have any family you stay with until this all get sorted out.'

"My family runs the Sunset Shrine in Tokyo. I grow up there." She did not mention her sister. No way Kikyou would take her in after all this. She still had not reached Inuyasha, but she could not stay with him if people thought she was carrying his baby. Her presence would only confirm what the tabloids were saying.

The police man looked at her. She looked so bedraggled standing in the rain Her fancy clothes were not meant for such excursions. He could not take her to the train station himself., but he could call her a taxi. Amazing how one day turned the Princess back into Cinderella. He took a gamble.

"Princess. The train from Nagasaki to Tokyo costs about 28,500 yen. Do you have enough to take a cab to Nagasaki and the train to Tokyo. The trip is about eight hours. Hopefully, it will not be crowded so that you can sleep during the overnight. That is best I can do. I will call you a cab."

Kagome nodded. The ball was really over. The Prince had taken the slipper away. She was to be returned to her ashbin. At least she was gong home. Once she got to Tokyo she would have to walk since the taxi and the train would take all of her funds. What would her mother and Ji-chan think. They had so proud that their daughter was a Princess. How would they feel when she slunk home tail between her legs. A disgrace to the family.

The train ride was harrowing. It was packed and she had to stand for much of the trip. When she saw the sun shining off the Tokyo Tower she knew that she was nearly home. She began to cry.

Others around her glared at her. The woman clearly had no shame. Someone looked up from their tabloid and pointed to Kagome. A disgraced, bedraggled Princess riding a train was not something you saw every day.

The train finally reached Kagome's stop, but not nearly soon enough for her. She dragged herself through the streets of Tokyo until she saw the Torii Gate of the Sunset Shrine. Taking her shoe in her hands, she took the steps two at a time. She slung open the door and burst into the kitchen where Mama, Souta and Jichan were having breakfast. Her mother rose to greet her. She threw herself into her mother's arms. Her mother whispered "Welcome Home, Kagome."


	20. No Place Like Home?

Title No Place Like Home?

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Inuyasha Quotes September 2010 Week 1 Suffering is Nothing. It is a Matter of Preventing Those You Love From Suffering- Alphonse Daudet

Word Count 1528

Warning none

Summary Kagome finds that you can't go home again.

As Kagome helped her mother wash the breakfast dishes, she noticed a change in her family. The Souta she had left so long ago was now in high school. The Ji-chan she remembered so fondly was now barely able to move about.

Even her mother seemed older. She had always remembered her as young and beautiful. Where had the time gone? Her mother now had touches of grey in her hair. Lines were beginning to form around the edges of her eyes.

The most surprising development was that her brother and grandfather made no move to get up from the breakfast table after they finished eating. Normally Souta would be heading off to school and Ji-chan would be at the gift shop getting ready to open.

She wondered about it, but decided it was not her place to question. Instead she followed her mother outside. Maybe she could be given some insight into what was going on at the Sunset Shrine

She found her mother cleaning the little shrine in front of Goshinboku. This had always been Ji-chan's job. Had her mother taken over her grandfather's duties or was there some other reason for her to cleaning

"Mother, how are you doing?"

Her mother looked up and smiled " Fine,dear. Why do you ask?"

"Things seem so different than how I remember them"

" You have been gone a long time, Kagome. You are a very different person from the little girl who married the prince. At the time you made me believe in fairy tales. You actually got to live the happily ever after. Why are you here now?"

The pain that she felt came out in the form of tears. A torrent to wash away all the painful memories of what Sesshoumaru had done to her. She confessed to her mother and waited for her absolution. Her mother pondered what to say.

"After all this you still want to stay married to Prince Sesshoumaru and bear his child."

When Kagome nodded, she continued. "Things may get difficult. I wondered why Souta was suspended from school and the shrine's status was revoked. Prince Sesshoumaru has power and we have none. We cannot protect you from him. All we can offer you is a place to stay, but who knows for how long. With no offerings the shrine will soon be broke. I will have to go get a job.

Souta may have to find work since they will not allow him back into school. Everywhere Prince Sesshoumaru 's hand reaches he blights our existence. If I were you, I would be tempted to curse his name"

Kagome wrapped her arms around her mother. She had concentrated so much on her own problems it never occurred to her that Sesshoumaru might strike out against her family. Looking at the state of her family, she realized the depths to which Sesshoumaru would go to. It made her seriously doubt her resolve to give in to his demands for divorce. Did she really want to stay married and bear the child of a man who would do this.?

Her mother watched for a moment. Was this the right time to broach this subject? She and Kikyou had always been rivals in everything from school to love, but Kikyou had seemed so frightened when she called.

"Kagome, I was not expecting you. Kikyou called and asked if she could come here. She said that she feels like a prisoner in her penthouse. Prince Sesshoumaru is having her watched. All her business licenses have been cancelled. Her leases have been cancelled. She was thinking of fleeing the country to take up her business in Paris and New York, but her passport has been revoked. Prince Sesshoumaru badgers her non- stop asking her to abort Inuyasha's child and marry him even though she has rejected him Inuyasha demands that his rights to his child be recognized. Frankly, I do not know what to tell her anymore. We had not talked since she walked out on Inuyasha. I did not know that she and Prince Sesshoumaru had been together all that time. She is not the same girl I remember. Maybe she never was."

The news hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. It had surprised her that perfect Kikyou had been willing to settle for being the mistress of Sesshoumaru never recognized in public. Always hidden in the shadows. Now Kikyou was in the same position as herself. Pregnant and alone Bearing a child that she was not sure that she wanted to bear. Hounded by Sesshourmaru to punish her for supposed wrongs and to force her to give in

For a moment she felt a pinch of sympathy for her sister, but then it passed. She was the cause of all this. Deserting her own husband and bedding Kagome's. All the chickens had come home to roost. If Kikyou was coming here, she wanted to be somewhere else. At least Kikyou still had a place to call home. That had been taken away from Kagome. Kikyou had always been Momma's darling. Time for her to know her place.

"Momma, Kikyou and I hate each other. She took Sesshoumaru from me. She is the reason that Sesshoumaru wants to divorce me. The fact that she has rejected Sesshoumaru and was carrying Inuyasha's baby gives me some hope that there is divine justice in the world. The kami had judged Kikyou at last and found her wanting. I have been praying for this for all these years. Even now it gives me some satisfaction that she is suffering from Sesshoumaru too."

A look of shock spread over his mother's face. " I never knew that you felt that way about your sister."

"I did" they turned to see Kikyou staring at them. "I felt the same way about you."

Momma finally separated the girls. The shrine was big enough for both of them. Kagome would have none of it. She was not going to live under the same roof as Kikyou. The time had come to call on her White Knight. She needed him more than ever. Thank heaven her cell phone was still working. One of the few things that Sesshoumaru had not cut off.

She punched his awaited the voice of her savior. When no one answered she hung and tried to get as far away from her sister as possible. She wandered into the gift shop and set down behind the counter. The Sacred Jewel key chain amused her. If only it were that easy to get what you wished for. Ji-chan should be ashamed himself for hawking plastic copies of legendary artifacts.

The phone rang. She recognized the number and eagerly quipped "Moshi, Moshi"

"Kagome, is that you? What do you want?"

The voice sounded different from the knight in shining armor she was expecting. He sounded so distant. It was almost as if she was the last person he wanted to talk to right now.

"I need help Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru has thrown me out of the palace and cut off all my money. I went home, but he had the shrine delisted and Souta thrown out of school. I did not know where else to turn."

There was a moment of hesitation on the other end as if Inuyasha was trying to find something to say. " I am kind of busy right now. The Bank of Japan has closed its window to my bank. I am flying to Abu Dhabi right now to obtain a letter of credit to keep my bank open. I may have to offer them a controlling interest in the bank. Where are you right now?"

"I am at my mother's house"

"I can have a car sent around. You can stay at my villa outside Tokyo if you do not mind all the protesters who think that I made you pregnant. It is not pretty. I had to fight my way out of there when I left the country. The paparazzi are thick there. My security was having a hard time keeping them out. They even had helicopters. Do you have legal help for your divorce? I know a few lawyers who are not afraid to take on the royal family. Unfortunately, they are not my lawyers, but I could pay for them. There is just one thing that I wish you could do for me"

"Thank you. Anything you want, Inuyasha"

"Could you talk to Kikyou about keeping our baby? She won't return my calls. I know that Sesshoumaru is pressuring her to get an abortion."

Anything, but that. The thought of talking to Kikyou revolted her so much that Kagome hung up on Inuyasha So much for white knights. They did not make them like they used to. Hard to discover that person you thought was your hero had feet of clay. It all came back to Kikyou The person who had ruined all their lives by sleeping with her husband. It would be a cold day in hell before she talked to Kikyou.


	21. Angel of the Morning

Title Angel of the Morning

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt In Union There is Strength -Aesop (Inuyasha Quotes September 2010 Week 3

Word Count 1477

Warning none

Summary The Lady offers Kagome a way out

She had spent the afternoon meeting with the lawyers that Inuyasha hired. They dressed nicely. Their offices were expensive, but they smelled of failure. Everything they said and did was designed to appease Sesshoumaru into giving her the best deal possible. Parting gifts as it were.

They were willing to settle a small allowance that had so many contingencies that restricted it, it was not worth mentioning In their best case scenario, she would lose her child, her title, her home and her husband. Money did not quite make up for that. She would have to go into hiding to prevent the press from hounding her. None of this was satisfactory.

She decided to sleep on it. Maybe it would all go away if she just wished hard enough. Being a princess had always seemed like a dream. Maybe she would wake up and find that Sesshoumaru had just been an awful nightmare. But every time she patted her tummy, the realities of her situation came home to her.

She did want this child more than anything in the world. Would her mother allow her to raise the child at the shrine? The whirlwind courtship with Sesshoumaru had taken her away from college before she had developed any marketable skills. Could a former princess/single mom go back to school? The prospects seemed daunting.

The next thing she knew it was morning. Since she had returned to shrine she had been neglecting a lot of things. Personal care. Regular meals. Any sort of schedule. When not meeting with the attorneys, she wore old clothes and smelled rather rank. She slept as late. It was not like she had anywhere to go or anyone to see.

Mostly she helped her mother around the shrine. Whenever Kikyou would leave her room to talk to her mother, she would hide out in the gift shop with Ji-chan fleecing tourists. Today the smell of miso and rice awakened her. She threw on her rattiest robe and bunny slippers and raced down stairs. When she reached the breakfast table she was in for a shock.

There plain as day was the Lady of the West chatting merrily with her mother over tea. Spread about before her were scrolls which Kagome recognized as family genealogies. They seemed different from the Higurashi family tree which Ji-chan was so proud of .These dated back to an older place and time.

The Lady looked up at Kagome and smiled "Welcome daughter. It has been a long time."

Kagome sputtered "What is she doing here?"

Her mother hushed her " Now, Kagome, she is family, don't be rude. I was just showing her some of our family history that she was not aware of"

Kagome looked skeptical. Her mother-in-law had never had her interest at heart. She felt like a mouse faced with a rattlesnake. Yet with her mother she was behaving civilized and charming, None of the overbearing attitude with which she was so familiar.

When breakfast was finished, her mother cleared the dishes and the scrolls away. The Lady motioned Kagome to come outside with her. When they finally reached Goshinboku, the Lady amazed her by stepping over the little fence and settling down with her back to the tree. She motioned for Kagome to sit beside her.

Kagome was skeptical and kept her distance "Why are you here?"

The Lady laughed " I think we can help each other."

Kagome replied " I doubt that. You only want to help yourself"

"That is true, but in this case our interests coincide"

Kagome asked "What could you possibly do for me?"

"I could make the divorce go-away"

Kagome looked torn. The divorce did seem to be the source of all her problems. If only it were gone, she could return to the palace and raise her child. " What's the catch?"

"You would have go back to Sesshoumaru"

Kagome gasped. It was not her idea to divorce, but so much had been done and said. Could she really do that Sesshoumaru was unrecognizable. The man she loved would never hurt her like he had, but then maybe she didn't really know him at all.

"Why should I do that after everything he has done to me?"

"The alternative is so much worse. The divorce will take everything you have and more. Sesshoumaru will crush everyone associated with you. Your mother, your brother, your grandfather, even Inuyasha. I know you don't care what happens to Kikyou, but everything that has happened to her is a result of the divorce. I can make it all go away. Everything will be as it was, as if it never really happened."

" Why are you doing it? What is in it for you?" asked Kagome

The Lady smirked " Do you really want to know the ugly truth behind the Chrysanthemum Throne or do you want to accept the pomp and circumstance that the millions of adoring people see."

Kagome quipped " I used to believe in fairy tales and happily ever afters. I thought Sesshoumaru was my Prince Charming. Unfortunately, I and everyone around me have had to suffer for my illusion. I won't be fooled again. If I go back, I want some guarantees that it won't happen again.

The Lady smiled at her " I think that can be arranged."

Kagome sighed. Could she really make a deal with the devil? To tell the truth that was how she saw the Lady. She held the power of life and death over her and yet she knew almost nothing about her.

The Lady scared her to death. The only times they had met felt like she was being judged. This time was different she was not being interviewed to be Sesshoumaru's wife or being asked about whether she was still happy being Sesshoumaru's wife.

Both meetings had ended with the Lady being in her corner. The first time she had been approved as Sesshoumaru's wife. The second time she had stayed loyal to Kagome when she discovered that Kagome was pregnant with Sesshoumaru's child.

She was not Kagome's friend. Of that she was sure. She had her own agenda of which Kagome had no clue. The Lady did nothing to inspire trust. If you did not fit her agenda, you would thrown out with yesterday's trash.

"If I go back to Sesshoumaru, how do I know things will be different."

"You can set the terms"

"I can't believe that Sesshoumaru will suddenly be at my beck and call."

"Would you rather have the Sesshoumaru that is running roughshod over you and your family? At least here you would know where he was at all times."

"What about children?"

"You can have as many as you want so long they are yours and Sesshoumaru's"

"That would mean that we have to sleep together"

"That never bothered you before."

"I did not know that he was doing my sister before."

"You can have anybody you want so long as you stay together and keep it private. That is how royal affairs are conducted in private. Where do think all the royal bastards come from? Why do you think the crown wants to bring back concubinage? Those are safety valves. The Emperor Go-Diago had twenty children with twenty different women other than his wife and no one thought anything of it. So long as it kept private today the same rule applies."

Kagome pondered everything the Lady had said. Everything had been turned on its head. Her marriage had been revealed to be a sham. Everyone and everything that she thought that she could depend had been revealed to be a fraud. Her back was against the wall. If she let things continue, everything and everyone she cared about would be destroyed. She made a leap of Faith.

"What do I have to do?"

The Lady smiled. She had her. When she did her due diligence in tracing Kagome's background before her marriage to Sesshoumaru, she had only looked at the Higurashis and their connection to the Southern Emperors. Mrs. Higurashi's genealogies revealed she was a member of the Ichijo clan. The oldest branch of the Fujisawa family.

Akihito had been the first in more than a thousand years not to choose a Fujiwara as his empress and what did it get them. Crown Princess Masato had not produced a son. A woman could not succeed to the throne. Dynastic confusion was sure to follow. She had not one but two Fujwara women who could produce children ready to take their place in the royal hierarchy. Sesshoumaru by his actions had given them no place to go but to her. She was ready, willing and able to take the lead.


	22. An Offer You Can't Refuse

Title An Offer You Can't Refuse

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt June 2009 Week 3: Everybody's at war with different things... I'm at war with my own heart sometimes. - Tupac Shakur (Inuyasha Quotes)

Word Count 1600

Warning ABORTION

Summary The Lady sends Kagome to the abortion clinic to stop Kikyou from having an abortion

A/N WARNING. This chapter deals with abortion, but it does not express an opinion about abortion. Abortions are available to most women in Japan since the Eugenics Law of 1948 in response to the baby boom. The most commonly used reason for abortion today is socioecomic. since the 1996 and 2006 amendments to the Eugenics Law added new reasons for a woman to have an abortion. The pill was not legalized until 1999 and still has limited availability. Although the pill is only used by 20% of Japanese women of reproductive age, the abortion rate has declined since it came on the scene. Most of the women officially getting abortions in Japan today are older single professional women. When I first envisioned this scene I had Kagome and Kikyou meeting at the abortion clinic and coming to the same conclusion that neither would have an abortion. I have changed my opinion of Kagome in this story since its inception. Accordingly, I made her the one who had already made up her mind to have her baby and only begrudgingly went to save Kikyou's baby at the Lady's behest.

Kagome had not been able to sleep all night with all that racket. Her mother and Kikyou had been downstairs yelling at each other about something. She knew it was finished when Kikyou slammed the door on her way out and her mother burst into tears.

The next morning she dragged herself downstairs in a ratty old robe and fuzzy slippers. To her surprise she found her mother and Lady chatting over tea. Her mother poured Kagome a cup of tea while the Lady critically examined her.

"Look what the cat dragged in:" smirked the Lady

"I can't take this right now. My mother and Kikyou kept me up all night. I just need something to get me through the day. What the hell are you doing here"

"Language, Kagome. I raised you better. Be courteous to our guest"

"Guest?"

"Yes, guest. We babas have to stick together."

"I have learned that you never do anything without a reason. Why are you here now?"

"Your mother called me."

Kagome looked at her mother. Why would her mother call the Lady? Why for that matter were they acting all buddy buddy as if they were in on some secret.?

"Mama, why would you call her?"

"Because I lost control of your sister. Kikyou and I have always been close. If she does what she is threatening to do, I don't know what I will do.""

Kagome responded with controlled rage. All the years of being second best to Kikyou in everything including her mother's heart boiled over."I heard you arguing with her late last night. I couldn't sleep. What was that all about?"

Mrs. Higurashi sighed looked at the Lady then launched into her explanation. "Kikyou went to the Imperial Clinic.":

Kagome waited "And?"

The Lady interrupted "Apparently Kagome does not know the dark secret of the Imperial Clinic."

"And that would be?"

"It houses an abortion clinic which caters to the Imperial Family and its branches"

Kagome was stunned. Aborting her baby had never entered her mind. Despite the fact that Sesshouumaru did not want it, it represented what she had wanted her entire marriage. A child.

She had been through so much trying to get pregnant. To produce the male heir that Sesshoumaru that the idea that she would terminate its life never occurred to her.

When Sesshoumaru had tried to blackmail her into doing so, she had reacted angrily. She had torn his authorization as her husband and father of the baby into shreds and tossed them at him.

Her mother had already told her that Kikyou was pregnant with Inuyasha's child and that Sesshoumaru was pressuring her to abort it.

"Why would Kikyou go there?"

The two ladies looked at each other. The Lady shook her head "You don't know?"

"Kikyou has been bombarded by Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha regarding the baby. She finally decided that it would easier if the baby did not exist. Then the two of them would not bother her anymore."

Kagome scoffed "Why should I care what Kikyou does with Inuyasha's baby?"

"She is your sister." cried her mother

"She never acted like a sister to me. She always had to be better than me at everything. If she chooses to ruin her life, why should I care?"

The Lady smiled, Kagome was becoming tougher. Before she was done with her, she would have to go through the fire.

"You remember that little proposition I made to you.:"

"Of course"

"I need you to convince Kikyou to have the child."

"Why should I?"

"Because I asked"

"And if I don't?"

"Then our deal is off. I will let Sesshoumaru win. Kikyou will take your place at Sesshoumaru's side. You and all you hold dear will be swept away. The decision is yours"

"Can I ask why you are doing this?'

"You can ask"

"You are not going to tell me, are you?"

"You would never believe me. Just have faith. I have faith in you. That is why I chose you instead of your sister. Her actions right now show that she is the weaker of the two of you. You never considered what she is doing as a way out, did you?"

Kagome thought about what the Lady said for moment " Why should Kikyou listen to me? The two of us hate each other. What you offer will be painful to her. It will require her to reject Sesshoumaru. She has not been able to do so. What should I tell her?"

"Tell her that Sesshoumaru is forever beyond her reach. She can only save herself if she acts to save her baby. She has always been selfish. She needs a lifeline. You are strong enough. Just tell her why you are not having an abortion despite everything that Sesshouumaru has done to you."

Kagome pondered what the Lady said. She must make Kikyou responsible for her own life and that of her child. Kikyou's solution had never even occurred to her, but she knew what she had to do.

Kikyou did not understand why she was here. Sesshoumaru had pulled strings to get here into the clinic. Even arranged for his driver to bring her. She could be his forever all she had to do was do this little thing for him.

Did she still love Sesshoumaru? Passionately and with all her heart, despite all that he had done to her. She knew that this was the only way back to him. He would not raise Inuyasha's baby as his own. He could not have a child born out of wedlock.

He had been pressuring her incessantly ever since the night she threw his marriage proposal back in his face. She had done so that night because he demanded that she get an abortion as a condition of their marriage.

At the time she had been angry, but over time she had weakened. The thought of carrying Inuyasha's baby to term frightened her. Sesshoumaru frightened. her. Not that she really cared what he did to Kaogme, the shrine, or even Inuyasha.

When he prevented her from doing business, she had come unglued. Her little world came crashing down. Her empire fell apart. All the things she depended upon in her life were no longer there.

Into this gap came two disparate voices. Inuyasha demanding that she have his baby and Sesshouumaru telling her that if she would just abort Inuyasha's baby that they would live happily ever after. The strain had become too much.

She had taken the path of least resistance which led back to Sesshouumaru. Not because she wanted to abort the baby, but because it seemed like the best way to get what she always wanted under the circumstances.

"Kikyou, why are you here?"

Kikyou looked up in surprise to see Kagome standing over her. The last person she wanted to see. Kagome had everything she wanted. Sesshouumaru. The palace. Sesshoumaru's baby. She could not live another minute under the same roof with that girl.

Kagome took Kikyou by the hand and practically dragged her out of the clinic into the garden in the courtyard. When they reached a small koi pond., Kagome motioned for Kikyou to sit down. Again, she turned to Kikyou and asked her the same question."Why are you here?"

Kikyou stammered. Her reasons were not that clear in her own mind. Was she doing this for Sesshouumaru? Was she doing it for herself? Or was she just doing to make all her problems go away. As much as it hurt Kikyou to admit to Kagome, the truth came out.

"I don't know."

"You would kill your baby and you don't even know why?"

Kikyou stirred uneasily. She had never really thought of the baby as hers or even a person. It was just an inconvenience which Inuyasha had inflicted upon her which prevented her from being with regrouped.

" I am tired of Inuyasha insisting that I have his baby. I don't love him. I only went to bed with him because I was drunk because you and Sesshouumaru were having sex in our suite at the Plaza.

The suite where he promised to give you up and publicly acknowledge. The baby you have in your womb should have been Sesshoumaru and my baby not yours. Your life with Sesshouumaru should have been mine not yours. Sesshoumaru says that that life can be mine, if I just get this abortion. The alternative is that he destroys my life."

Kagome laughed " To think that I was always envious of you. You were always the best and the brightest. Mom loved you best. Here I find that you wanted what I had. The problem with you is that you are thinking of this baby in terms of Inuyasha and Sesshouumaru. It is not their baby. It is your baby. It is time to charge of your own life. Stand up for yourself and your baby. I have already done so"

Kikyou was wavering. Kagome had touched a sensitive spot. Ordinarily, Kikyou had no trouble standing up for herself. She just needed to be coaxed

"What about you and your baby? Sesshoumaru is divorcing you and threatening to take your baby How can you even think of having the baby of a man who does not love you?"

"Because it is not his baby. It is my baby and I am keeping it. I will love it no matter what Sesshoumaru does. It is not his baby and his actions do not control me."

Kikyou cracked " What can I do about Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru?"

"If you come back to the shrine with me., I can introduce you to someone who house the power to protect you from them"

Slowly, Kagome and Kikyou walked arm in arm out of the clinic and into the waiting car. When the nurse called for Kikyou Higurashi's name for her appointment, she was no longer there.


	23. Vows Renewed

Title Vows Renewed

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Inuyasha Quotes November 2009 Week 4: We were strangers on a crazy adventure

Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true

Now here we stand, unafraid of the future

At the beginning with you - Donna Lewis, At The Beginning

Pairing Inuyasha/Kikyou

Word Count 3017

Warning none

Summary Inuyasha and Kikyou are forced to remarry by the Lady

A/N My apologies for the lateness and length of this piece. I had not anticipated this scene to be so long and drawn out.

Inuyasha paid the cabbie an outrageous sum in cash. Another sum was paid to him to remove him from the cabbie's trip sheet. No need for his enemies to know where he was.

He was exhausted from an all night flight from Abu-Dubai. The trip had been successful. A new overshore bank had arisen overnight. He had been to transfer most of the bank's assets.

His family's bank in Japan was now just a shell with barely enough reserves to cover deposits. No doubt the ministry was aware of his action, but dare not divulge it for fear of triggering a run on the bank which would bring down the entire Japanese banking systems.

Inuyasha hurried up the shrine steps and through the Torii gate. It had been some time since he had been to the Sunset Shrine. Kagome had been the friend of his youth. Kikyou had captured his heart.

After his divorce from Kikyou he had avoided the shrine, afraid of what his mother-in-law must think of him. He had not wanted to divorce Kikyou, but she had deserted him on their wedding night. There was nothing else to be done.

Kagome was still on his contact list. She was his best friend. Unfortunately, it was her meddling that had put him in this position. When she called, he had jumped at the opportunity to be her white knight without asking what she wanted him to do.

He had no one but himself to blame for Kikyou. She was drunk and upset that Sesshoumaru was in the next room having sex with Kagome. He had no excuse except his desire to have the wedding night with his true love which had been denied to him.

He had not seen Kikyou since she threw him out of her office. His operatives had followed her to the abortion clinic. She was observed leaving with Kagome. As far as he knew she still had the baby.

Once he learned that Kikyou was staying at the Sunset Shrine he had been reluctant to come to the was only Kagome's text asking him to come that induced him to come. Still, he feared the worst.

What would he say if he happened to run into Kikyou. His confrontation with her had been one of his worst ideas ever. She had not even been aware that she was pregnant and there he was making demands on her. What an idiot.

He stopped by Goshinboku and smiled. Here he had played with Kagome in its branches. Here he had proposed to Kikyou after asking his mother's blessing. Here he had to tell her mother what Kikyou had done to him.

Sighing he decided that nothing would be gained by delaying his Kagome. She must be in trouble if she used their code White Knight to summon him. Knocking on the door, he let himself in when no one answered.

He found Kagome with her mother and another woman he did not recognize sitting at the kitchen

table. Kagome looked up at him and smiled. Motioning for him to sit by her, he sat down in a confused huff which caused all of the women to giggle.

"Why am I here, Kagome?"

The blonde woman interrupted him " Actually I prevailed on Miss Higurashi to contact you."

Inuyasha went pale. He had never seen her, but knew her by reputation. She was known to ambitious and ruthless aiming for the imperial crown itself. Her anger toward him as her husband's bastard was well known. It was amazing that his family had adopted him despite everything she threw against them in her wrath. Why was she here and what did she have to do with Kagome? He decided to be civil despite a deep-seated hatred of her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"When Kikyou comes down for breakfast, I intend to make you an offer you can't refuse."

Kagome excused herself. Inuyasha stood and followed her outside. "Do you know what is going on?"

Kagome hesitated " All I know is that she claims to have the power to solve all my problems with Sesshoumaru." Kagome had to believe that her mother-in-law could solve her problems. The alternative was too bleak to would simply crush all of them.

Inuyasha shrugged "What has that got to do with me?"

Kagome shook her head. " I don't know. She asked me to talk to the Imperial Clinic and talk Kikyou out of aborting her baby. Then she asked me to text you because she seemed to know that you would come if I called."

Inuyasha seemed surprised " Why are you doing all this?"

Kagome sighed "Because I have no choice. Sesshoumaru is crushing me and everyone I love. She offered a lifeline and I took it. I am not going to question her because I had no choice. She made an offer I could not refuse. I have to go. Good luck with Kikyou. Don't pressure her. She wants to keep the baby. Otherwise, she would not have left with me. She feels vulnerable alone and felt trapped by the baby. I simply offered her an alternative and she took it. Now I must go. My divorce trial is coming up. Thank you for providing your lawyer. I am hoping for a miracle."

With that being said she turned and fled down the stairs toward the street. Inuyasha watched her until she was out of sight. He felt a tap on the shoulder. Turning he saw his former mother-in-law. She hugged him and dragged him back into the house. Inuyasha could feel her warmth. He was afraid that he would hate her for divorcing her daughter. Apparently not. Without Kagome gone he was glad that there was somebody here who was on his side.

Mrs. Higurashi prepared a simple breakfast of rice and miso soup. When it was ready, she called Kikyou. After a few minutes Kikyou stumbled down stairs dressed in a fuzzy robe and bunny slippers. Her face was covered in a beauty mask made of seaweed and her hair was in curlers. Her baby bump was beginning to show since it had been nearly three months since that fateful night.

Inuyasha stood and stared. Kikyou stopped short like a deer caught in the headlights. She screamed and tried to retreat back upstairs,but Inuyasha was on her before she reached the stairs.

Struggling in his arms and biting him, he pinned her arms and pulled her into his lap. After discovering how futile her efforts were she still glaring instead at her mother who had tricked her into coming downstairs.

"Why is he here, Mama? He is the cause of all my problems."

The Lady finally spoke "He is here at my invitation. "

Kikyou looked up. She began to shake. The Lady had ruined her life by denying her Sesshoumaru and giving him to Sesshoumaru. They had gained a measure of revenge by carrying on their love affair. She must have known all along. Now she was here for her revenge when Kikyou was most vulnerable. Whatever her game was she was not going to get away with it.

"What are you doing here? Inuyasha and I are probably your two most hated persons since we have interfered with your plans"

The Lady laughed. "If I engaged in personal vendettas like my son, Inuyasha would never have been born and as for you. You would have been thrown out in the gutter where whores who open their legs for married men truly belong. I have been kind first to Inuyasha's mother and now to you because I have great plans for you and your children."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. She might not like what the Lady said, but she knew that she had both of her daughter's interest. Hoping that her daughter would take advantage of her opportunity instead of engaging in the destructive behavior she had all her life. She needed to realize that her love for Sesshoumaru was hopeless and only lead to unhappiness. Better she take what had been offered to her in the first place. She always liked Inuyasha as a son-in-law and still hoped for the best with their relationship.

"Here is your breakfast, dear. I am sure you will feel better if you have something to eat. Won't you sit down?"

Inuyasha looked dubiously at his former mother-in-law. She nodded. He released her and waited.

Kikyou slid into the seat next to Inuyasha and eagerly downed her breakfast. It was nice to be able to hold down food. Her morning sickness had been very bad. Hopefully, whatever the Lady said would not make her regret her decision to continue her pregnancy. When she was done, she put down her chopsticks and waited for the Lady to speak.

Seeing that Inuyasha and Kikyou were now listening to her, the Lady launched into her offering to the two of them " I want the two of you to remarry."

Kikyou almost fell over in her chair. Inuyasha was the last person on earth she wanted to marry. Forced into the marriage, it had taken every ounce of courage to run from him on their wedding night. The easy way would have been to become the dutiful Japanese wife. She was not that person and never would be. Sesshoumaru was what she wanted then. She may have given up that dream, but she was not willing to settle for Inuyasha then or now.

"Why would I do that? I have lived that nightmare. Mama, you knew I did not want to marry him, yet you agreed to the marriage contract against my wishes."

Inuyasha stared at her. The issues between them had never been discussed. The marriage contract had been something out of the Feudal Era., but he had come to love her and assumed that she loved him. He had been shattered when she left, but they had never really discussed why she left.

The marriage had been annulled as if it had never happened. The present had been returned. Her name had erased from their family register. Still he had held out hope that someday she would return to him. He had initiated the process. Only now did he feel her sting.

The Lady replied "Enough of your romantic nonsense. If you don't stop this, I will let Sesshoumaru stomp on you just to make you abort Inuyasha's child. Sesshoumaru will never marry you. He knows that he would lose everything he holds dear if he did. I intend to make that clear to him. First, I need all the pieces in place before I present him with the fait accompli"

Kikyou stared at her. She needed to be careful of this woman. Anyone who could outmaneuver Sesshoumaru was dangerous indeed. Was she ready to give up her romantic fantasies about Sesshoumaru? When she had been forced to marry Inuyasha, she had answered that question with a resounding "No". Now after all that she had gone through to become Sesshoumaru's wife she was being asked to give up Sesshoumaru marry Inuyasha and have his baby.

"Why should I?"

The Lady became angry " Because I said so. If you continue to annoy I will take everything from you and leave you with nothing. I am your last hope. If you don't agree to my proposal, I will help Sesshoumaru crush you Take it from me. You will never get Sesshoumaru. Kagome has already agreed to do what I want. She will end up with Sesshoumaru. This is your last chance. Going Going .."

"Bitch"

"Indeed. At least I get what I want and don't settle for being some else's mistress. I like your spunk, but I will not tolerate you interfering with my plans. Take it or leave it."

Kikyou swallowed. She was in no position to fight. Pregnant. Her business shuttered. Her passport revoked. She could not even leave the country. Maybe if she married Inuyasha she could get back in the game. She had been Sesshoumaru's mistress just as Inuyasha's mother had been the elder Taisho's mistress before Inuyasha's father brought her into his family .

"Can I set some ground rules?"

"It depends"

"I continue to run my business. and retain my name"

"Agreed except that officially you will take his name in the koseki."

"I don't have to sleep in his bed or have any more children with him."

The Lady cocked her head "If this child survives"

Kikyou looked at her with a million questions. It was not her or Inuyasha that motivated the Lady

It was the child in her womb. For whatever reason, Sesshoumaru's mother was doing everything in her power to bring that child to life. Should she look a gift horse in the mouth or should she look for the reason she was being saved.

"Can I have affairs outside the marriage?"

"So long as you are discreet and the affair is not with Sesshoumaru. He is only person who is off limits. My late husband was so discreet that not even the palace was aware that he had fathered a child with Inuyasha's mother. Now I have some conditions. For official occasions you will behave as a royal. You should like that since you always wanted to be Sesshoumaru's daughter will be raised as a royal and matched with royals."

"Daughter?" exclaimed both Inuyasha and Kikyou.

"Yes, Daughter." laughed the Lady."She will be prized above all women in Japan. Every royal in Japan will compete for her favor."

They stared at each other. Suddenly, their future had brightened. The nameless creature in Kikyou's womb had become a daughter. For the first time she became real to both of them. Inuyasha had demanded his rights. Now he began to think in terms of raising his daughter. Kikyou had been on the edge of killing her because it would make her problems go away. She could not even think of doing so now. The Lady broke the silence by addressing Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha. I will ask much of you. I am adopting you as a Taisho. This means abandoning your parents. The people who raised you when my husband abandoned your mother after learning that she was pregnant. It is much to ask."

Inuyasha did not know what to say. He would have Kikyou in name only. His name would blotted out of his family register. All his former life would be gone.

"Would I still have my bank?"

"Both of them" She laughed.

Inuyasha was stunned. She knew. It was a wonder that he was not in chains right now for what he had done with the bank's assets. The idea that she could hold his dealings over his head made him uneasy. He had gone to so much trouble to save his bank with Arab oil money it seemed a shame to have to turn it over to her.

"Don't worry. I will not demand your family's assets. You can retain everything you had. Only now you will have the full backing of the Japanese treasury and the royal family."

":Royal family?"

"Yes, you will get to meet them intimately when this little melodrama is over. Right now I have to go meet them. There are so many things to work out. Be a dear and drop these papers with the court before you sign the marriage register. Here is the certified copy of our Koseki Tohon and a properly signed and -in Todoke. you will need. Welcome to the family, Inuyasha and Kikyou."

She kissed them both and hurried out the door leaving Mama Higurashi in tears and Inuyasha and Kikyou in confusion. Kikyou excused herself telling Inuyasha she had to change if she was going to get married. Inuyasha was left bewildered staring at the marriage register and adoption papers in his hands.

Marrying Kikyou had always been his dream, but now it came at a price. Renouncing his family name. Becoming Sesshoumaru's brother. Married to Kikyou in name only. It seemed so bleak.

The only consolation that the alternative was so much worse. At least Kikyou would be his wife and he had a daughter. He looked across the table at Mrs. Higurashi. She was crying.

"Don't cry , Mrs. Higurashi."

"These are tears of joy, Inuyasha. You can call me Mama"

He stood and bowed to her. Kikyou came downstairs in one of her designer dresses. Inuyasha forgot all his worries. Whatever happened from now on did not matter. He was marrying the woman he loved and she was bearing his child. For the moment, they were the only two persons in the world. She was his shining star. Finally, he could breathe again.

He led her out to Goshinboku. She did not resist any more. This was the place where they had pled their troth so many years ago. At least he knew now that Kikyou did not love him and was only marrying him to save herself. None of it mattered. She would be his at last. He would make her and their daughter happy. His love was enough for both of them.

He went down on one need. Holding out the ring he had given here on their wedding day which she had left on the night stand with a note on their wedding night, he asked her to marry had carried it with him since that day in hopes that she would his again.

Without waiting for her answer he slid it on her finger. Unable to speak she nodded. She laughed. Despite all her efforts, she was back agreeing to marry Inuyasha. Same proposal. Same tree. Same ring. It had a surreal feeling He started to kiss her, but she pulled him toward the stairs. The sooner they got this over with the better.


	24. Protocol

Title Protocol

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Word Count 1702

Prompt"Why is it that every time I think I know the answers, someone goes and changes the questions?" - The X-Files(Inuyasha Quote May 2008)

Warning none

Summary The Lady gets her way

The Imperial Household Agency lay within the Imperial Palace. Located in Chiyoda, the Imperial Palace had been built on the site of the old Chiyoda (Edo)Castle. The seat of the imperial family and Japanese government

The Kunachio prided itself that it dated back to 701 AD having survived seventy-five emperors and eight eras. Japan was its emperor and the agency behind the Emperor was the Imperial Household Agency.

The Grand Steward had cleared his schedule today. He had tried to eliminate primogeniture. The present prime minister was just not interested in it. It and the Imperial Household Agency just seemed too medieval to him to worry about.

To the Grand Steward succession was first and foremost on his mind. If Hisahito had not been born to Akishino and his wife, he might have succeeded in placing a woman on the throne.

Princess Yoshi truly was a love child. The only thing that made Naruhito and Masako's marriage bearable. They had struggled to keep the Crown Princess out of the asylum, but now she had just disappeared from view.

She was not coming today even though the subject was the marriage of her daughter. The Crown Prince would make excuses for her just like he always did.

The Right was right this time, if she was unable to perform her duties as a princess the marriage should be dissolved and they would find someone else to do the job.

If she left, the Agency would no longer be responsible for keeping up the facade. Everyone knew that she was mentally ill, but the Japanese press was too polite to say so.

Aiko should be first in line for the throne. Japan should have entered the twenty-first century with the amendment to the Imperial Household. The last steward had been ousted for putting pressure on Masako to bear a male heir.

It had led to her depression and guaranteed that the Crown Princess would never bear a male heir.

Although the present steward favored the right of a woman to succeed to the throne, his attempt to pass such a law ceased when Hishahito was born.

The steward even agreed with the postwar trend for Imperial family members to find their own consorts instead of having them chosen by the Imperial Household Agency. The Emperor had not only married a commoner, but a woman who was not a member of the Fujiwara clan since 701

When the Lady of the West had offered not one but two Fujiwaras, his curiosity had been piqued He had correctly pointed out that these persons were in the middle of a messy situation.

Prince Sesshoumaru who had just finished a messy affair with one of the Fujiwaras while being married to the other had created the biggest stir. Japan was scandalized by the royal affairs. How could they even consider such a relationship? Yet the Fujiwaras were so tempting. It was so traditional that even the Right would love it

On the other side were two divorcees recently remarried and adopted into the Taisho family. The groom 's bloodline had been murky when he had been the bastard. Even adopted into his step father's family had not cured the pedigree, but now he was acceptable in the eyes of the Imperial Household Agency and as such their children were available for marriage.

Since he was the younger brother, it was fitting that his child should be married to the lesser branch of the Taisho family. Princess Yoshi would not become a commoner since she would be marrying royalty. As such, they could create a collateral branch of the Imperial House. Aiko might not be allowed to inherit the throne, but someday her children might.

A marriage pact between the son now in the womb of Taisho Kikyou and Aiko now nine would cure many problems..It would create peace in the Imperial family until the child was old enough to marry. The pressure on Naruhito and Masako would cease. The dust would settle. No longer would Masako be forced into public scrutiny because of her failures.

It would also clear up the scandal that Higurashi Kikyou had created by having an affair with Prince Sesshoumaru and having a child out of wedlock with Taisho Inuyasha. The marriage would also bring wealth and power as they expanded into the zaibistu world of which Inuyasha's family had been a part of.

The difficult part of selling the marriage pact would be the marriage of Hishahito and the daughter of Sesshoumaru and Kagome. That couple was on the verge of divorce. Only an imperial decree could save it. The Lady was hoping for just such a decree. Was the imperial family so desperate for such a marriage that they would move heaven and earth just to accomplish it?

Would the government even broach such interference in its affairs by the royal family? Only by classifying it as an internal Imperial matter could they stop the divorce proceedings and threaten to strip Prince Sesshoumaru of all his lands and titles unless he complied with the Imperial Decree.

The Steward relished this role. He was sure that once Sesshoumaru saw his options that he would return meekly to fold. The Prince would be forced into a role he had never occupied. He would have to learn to be a family man instead of a jet set tryst with Kikyou. Kagome might not be his choice, but he would be forced to accept his role as the grandfather of a future Emperor.

It was clear that the Lady had been angling for her chance all along. The Steward's own spies had uncovered her unsavory background as the heir to the Southern Kingdom of Go-Daigo. Once thought dead and buried, it is clear that they had survived by pretending to be that which they were not. Loyal subjects of the Emperor. The Lady had found the Higurashis when she was looking for more Southern Bloodlines. Instead she found the hidden Fujiwaras and moved her family just that much closer to the Imperial Crown.

He had convinced all Imperial family to sign the documents he had prepared. Their powers of attorney were in his pocket together a specific grant allowing him to enter into whatever marriage contracts might be beneficial to the Imperial House. He felt flush with power. It was better that they were not here. A fight between the Lady of the West and the royal family would be so undignified.

Better to let the Grand Steward broker the marriages. He had been forward thinking like the members of the Imperial House. People should marry for love. The times called for a more conservative approach. The Lady's discovery that the Higurashi girls were actually the missing branch of the Fujiwaras clan had been a godsend. It seemed almost too good to be true. In one fell swoop

The Lady was too proud and ambitious. She wanted to marry her grandchildren now only in the wombs of the Higurashi girls to Aiko and Hisahito. If the age difference was not bad enough, the scandal surrounding the couples was worse. A bastard son impregnated his exwife while she was in a tryst with Prince Sesshoumaru. A supposedly barren wife is dragged through a messy divorce in which she accused of bearing the child of another by her cheating husband.

The headlines had made good press, but terrible public relations for the Imperial House. Normally he would let the Lady watch her children go down in flames, but the succession issue and Masako's depression had created the need for a new direction. That direction was provided by the scroll in his hand which definitely proved that Kikyou and Kagome were Fujiwaras. Just the thing to fix what the Right saw as the wrath of the kami for marrying commoners on the Imperial House.

The Lady had fixed the problem with Inuyasha and Kikyou. Inuyasha was now a Prince thanks to the adoption and no longer a bastard of the Taisho family. Their child would combine the royal blood of Taisho's with the blood of the Fujiwaras The perfect blood line to marry Aiko to and create a new branch of the Imperial Family. Aiko would have wait twenty years until the boy was old enough to marry, but at least she would be out of the way. No longer would anyone worry about whether a woman could succeed to the throne.

The nastier problem was Prince Sesshoumaru. It was not so much that he had bedded Kikyou throughout his marriage. Royal trysts were part and parcel of the royal family. Recently the family and Imperial Household Agency had revived the talk of concubinage as a way of providing heirs for the Imperial House.

The Lady had solved all their problems nicely by providing them with ready-made heirs. Prince Sesshoumaru could destroy all their plans if he succeeded in his divorce. Luckily his father was

a judge of the District Court and could be substituted on the court for the present judge. She would get her decree. It would nice to see her beg, but there was no time. The trial was scheduled for tomorrow. He would have to give her what she wanted.

Finally, he spoke "Here is your Order to District Court and the Imperial Edict to Prince Sesshoumaru written exactly as you requested. If you succeed in bending him to your will and acceding to the marriage contract, we have a deal. Without his consent everything all your efforts will have been wasted."

The Lady smiled at him as she took the papers " By the time I am through with Sesshoumaru he will be begging to bear Kagome's child for her."

The Grand Steward shivered. The Lady scared him. It was lucky that she was happy. He would not want to be on her bad side. Perhaps bringing her into the royal family was a mistake. The Imperial Household Agency thrived on its strict control of the Imperial Family. They were like sheep. Bringing a wolf like the Lady into the Imperial Household invited wholesale slaughter.

If only he could have passed the equal primogeniture legislation none of this would be necessary. The sacrifices he made for the Imperial Family. Hopefully, they would worth it.


	25. Deus Ex Machina

Title Deus Ex Machina

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt May 2009 Week 2: "Swallow your pride occasionally, it's non-fattening!" - anonymous

(Inuyasha Quotes)

Word Count 2025

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome Inuyasha./ Kikyou

Warning none

Summary The Lady intervenes

Kagome could not believe her ears as she listened to her attorney tell the judge that he was withdrawing from the case. She had no advance warning. He was after all Inuyasha's attorney having handled the divorce between Inuyasha and Kikyou.

Perhaps that should have told her something. Kikyou had taken Inuyasha to the cleaners in that case. Despite the fact that Kikyou had deserted Inuyasha on his wedding night, she had been awarded half his assets and alimony.

Kikyou had used the money to set herself up in business helped out by the money that Sesshoumaru pumped into the business No wonder she had been able to turn herself into an instant success.

Now the same attorney who had followed Inuyasha's orders to give Kikyou everything she wanted was bailing out on her at the worst possible moment. She should never have listened to Inuyasha.

Amazing that someone who had risen so far in business was so naive in matters of the heart. She smelled Sesshoumaru's hand in her attorney's withdrawal. Her attorney's hands were shaking as he handed her documents releasing him from representation.

Sesshoumaru was sitting too smugly as if the outcome of their trial was preordained. She had naively believed that justice would be done in the courts. The Judge would see that Sesshoumaru had done her wrong.

When she looked at the judge, she saw that she was doomed. The man was taken his cues from Sesshoumaru. This man was Sesshoumaru's puppet and her husband was pulling the strings. She could not trust anything he said because Sesshoiumaru spoke with his voice.

She began to panic. Where was the Lady? She had put her faith in her because she had no choice. Would she fail her just as all the rest had? She tried to focus her mind on the baby. It was depending on her. She just needed to control her breathing and believe that everything would be all right.

When Inuyasha had failed her, she stopped believing in white knights. Even he had needed the Lady to save him from Sesshoumaru. She regretted involving him. All she had done was doom him to life with Kikyou and nearly ruin his business by involving him with Sesshoiumaru.

She had to believe. The Lady had already dealt with Inuyasha and Kikyou in her own highhanded way, but to truly save them and her. They would not be safe until Sesshoumaru was brought down. Until he was rendered impotent, he could crush them whenever he wanted.

The Judge coughed and indicated that her attorney should proceed. He rose and was about to read a prepared statement which he held in his trembling hands when a commotion was heard from both the back and front of the courtroom. The Judge signaled for courtroom security to handle whatever was going on. He waited for an appropriate time then nodded for Kagome's attorney to proceed.

Sesshoiumaru was beside himself. This was his moment of triumph. At last he would be free from Kagome. His plans could not have worked out better. To celebrate he had rewarded himself by reserving the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower so that he could savor a good meal while looking out over his domain.

He discounted the reports from his spies that something was afoot. Inuyasha and Kikyou had dropped out of sight after visiting Kagome's home shrine. His mother had been seen coming and going to the shrine as well as frequent trips to the Household Agency, the Imperial Palace and the Department of Justice.

His Imperial contacts assured him that he was bulletproof. Granted he had not been able to talk anyone in the Imperial Family to confirm this statement, but his contacts had never let him down.

Why should concern himself with his mother's comings and goings? She was a woman who lived in the past. Who clung to a belief that the southern Imperial line was the true line of dynastic succession

What was she going to do, invoke the name of Go-Daigo? The pretenders who came forward at the end of World War II had been laughed at by the Americans. They were lucky that they had not been branded traitors.

His mother's actions were treasonous at worst claiming that the present emperor was no legitimate. At worst they were crazy. Who else worshiped with other southerners at a shrine to Go-Daigo and worked to restore a line dead since the early 14th century.

If she threatened him, he would simply turn her in. Some might question calling ones own mother a traitor, but he was a Taisho. His roots were in the North and his blood was the same color as Akihito.

He shook his head. His mother was the least of his concerns. She had not bothered him in weeks.

He wanted Kikyou. Soon he would have his freedom and she would not be able to refuse him.

He looked at the ring in his pocket. Kikyou had thrown this ring back in his face when he demanded that she get an abortion. This time he would not take no for an answer. He would make her and offer that she could not refuse. She would be his.

The commotion at the back of the courtroom made him turn his head. Nothing could go wrong.

The fix was in. He would see the game through to the last savory moment. When it was over, he would laugh in Kagome's face. Then only then would he have be completely free of her.

When nothing happened, he turned his attention back to the Judge who had taken control of the courtroom again. Forcing Inuyasha's lawyer to yield had been a master stroke. He had used him before to free Kikyou from her marriage to Inuyasha, but he was taking no chances that the fool might actually try to get back at him. Too much was riding on the outcome of this case.

The door opened. Everyone turned to look. To Sesshoumaru's surprise, the bailiffs and court security had been replaced by officers of the Ministry of Justice. They were followed by the Minister himself. Bringing up the rear was his mother arm in arm with the head of the Imperial Household Agency.

The Minister swept past Sesshoiumaru and Kagome and approached the Judge. When he handed a sheaf of papers to him, the Judge quickly scanned them and turned white. The Minister motioned for the Judge to follow the officers out of the courtroom. He then turned and announced that everyone but Sesshoumaru, Kagome, the Ministers and he were to leave the courtroom.

When Sesshoumaru's attorney started to protest, he was handed a paper and ushered out more personnel from the Ministry of Justice together with Kagome's attorney. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru felt very alone and certainly not in control of the situation which always bothered him. Nevertheless, he stood and demanded to know by what right the Ministry of Justice had to intervene in a simple divorce case.

His mother smiled. Sesshoumaru knew that he would not like the answer. The head of the Imperial Household Agency stepped forward and handed him a paper bearing the seal of the Emperor. Sesshoumaru unsealed the paper and stared blankly at it.

How could they do this to him? He was after all Prince Sesshoumaru Taisho a member of the Imperial House. With his word he could bring down banks and businesses as he had with Inuyasha and Kikyou. He could make and unmake judges. Even shrines could lose their government patronage at his whim. The media waited on his every word.

Yet the Imperial Edict stated clearly that if he did not do exactly as specified in the edict he would lose all lands titles and properties. He would be no one. He would have nothing. How could they do this to him?

He looked for guidance to the head of the Ministry of Justice, but he shook his head. The Imperial Edict had taken it out of his hands. He was merely there to enforce the Imperial will on the judicial officials subject to his control. Having done his duty, he took his men and left the building.

Still dissatisfied he looked to the head of Imperial Household Agency. He could see their hand in this scenario. Always butting their noses into the business of the Imperial family. Laughing, the official pointed to Sesshoumaru's mother as the culprit.

Anger seized Sesshoumaru. How dare she steal everything from him in his moment of triumph? And for what. To ensure that the baby Kagome was carrying would marry the future Emperor. It was almost too much to bear. He would have to remain married to Kagome and watch as their child reached the heights that he had dared to dream of.

He turned to his mother who was sitting in the judge's chair smoking a cigarette from a long stemmed holder. She had the most wicked smile on her face. Whatever she had done she was not going to get away with it. It was then that he realized why she had done it.

"Mother, you have ruined my life."

"Get over it, Sesshoiumaru. You have it better than 99.99% of the people in the world. You are rich. You are powerful. You can have almost anything or anyone you want in the world."

"But not Kikyou?"

"Not Kikyou. Your night at the Plaza was the perfect syzygy. It produced the children I had been working for all my life. I am closer than ever to my dream. No one especially not you is going to stand in my way. The children are already promised. On their name day, the engagements will be announced. Until then you will be in my custody."

"I won't do it."

"Sesshoiumaru, you have seen the edict. The consequences of disobeying the edict would be fatal to you. I don't really need you. You did your job when you impregnated Kagome. That is what a stud is supposed to do. Now we need you to show up for ceremonial occasions and keep your mouth shut. If you had just done the job earlier none of this would have been necessary."

"I don't understand why the Emperor was willing to agree to this farce. The Higurashis are nothing. I never understood why you chose Kagome."

"I chose Kagome because her bloodline melded well with that of the mixture of Taisho and my own. It was only when I saw the Higurashis genealogy that I realized that this family was the missing Fujiwaras that everyone has been looking for"

Sesshoiumaru was stunned. For fourteen hundred years the emperors had married Fujiwaras. Akihito the present emperor had married a commoner who was not a Fujiwara. Many saw the lack of a male heir in his eldest son who had also married a non-Fuijiwara common as the punishment of the kami.

The Imperial Family was willing to do anything to correct this even marrying a 10-year-old girl to a new born and a 5-year-old boy to a new born. His mother had hit the mother lode when Kagome and Kikyou both conceived that night to men with Taisho blood in their veins.

Kikyou. Suddenly he thought of Kikyou. What had changed since she dropped out of sight. Last he knew she was still at the shrine where he could keep an eye on her.

"What about Kikyou?"

"Kikyou is married to Inuyasha and beyond your reach. So long as they behave, he will keep his bank and she will keep her dress designing business. Their son will marry Aiko, Prince Akisino's daughter."

"And there is no chance that I can have Kikyou on the side."

"Kagome would have your balls for that. Right, Kagome. The one person that Kikyou is forbidden to have anything to do with is you. If you are good and do what Kagome and I tell you to do, you can keep your balls. Otherwise, you will have to become a steer."

Sesshoiumaru stormed out of the chamber. He would fight. He would. When he saw the ministry guards still waiting outside the door, he knew the game was up. His mother took him by the arm.

"Let's go home to Kyushu, Sesshoiumaru. Tokyo simply does not suit you. Tonight you can sleep in your own bed with your loving wife. Who knows? If you play your cards right, you might get lucky"

Sesshoiumaru doubted that would ever happen again.


	26. Those Who Wait

Title Those Who Wait

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Those also serve who only stand and wait

Word Count 3000

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha/Kikyou

Warning births

Summary Kagome and Kikyou have their babies

The waiting room of the Imperial Clinic was crowded. Too crowded for Sesshoumaru's taste. It was bad enough that he had to be here. He had to sit next to his brother. He really did not hate his brother, he just as soon his brother did not exist. Glancing around the room, everyone involved was here. Mrs. Higurashi and his mother were in with the girls. That left them alone with the Imperial Family and the Grand Steward of the Household Agency.

He shivered as he remembered all that had happened to him since that day in the Tokyo courtroom. His mother held a news conference announcing Kagome's pregnancy. He was forced to stand by her side while the press badgered him with questions about the happy event. His mother had him on a tight leash. She had warned him that even a single misstep would end most painfully for him.

If that was not bad enough he was forced to be present when Inuyasha and Kikyou now married were adopted into the Taisho family. He was forced to pretend that he was happy too as Kikyou's pregnancy was announced. His mother had warned him not to speak or even look at Kikyou during the news conference. He was sure that the smile plastered on Kikyou's face was painted on by his mother. She couldn't be happy about what was happening to them.

The worst part was being trotted out at the Imperial Palace in front of the nation where the engagement of Kagome's unborn daughter to Prince Hisahito and the engagement of Kikyou's unborn son to Princess Aiko. As ridiculous as this seemed to him, engaging a ten year old and five year old to unborn children, the Japanese public fell in love with the idea. The baby watch swept aside all competition in the public eye.

Every day he had to endure Kagome's presence in his palace. At least they were allowed to sleep in separate bedrooms. Whenever they were in the public eye they had to be together, smiling as if they actually loved each other. Fortunately, he was an excellent actor. He had been pretending to be in love with Kagome since the first time he met here. At least then he had Kikyou to fall back on. Now all he had to look forward to was "till death do we part"

That part could not come soon enough for him. Having to be at Kagome's beck. and call both knowing that he could not refuse her anything. She had even demanded sex from him. Insisting on being on top dominating him, made him feel like she was using sex to punish him. She did not seem to want their old relationship where he was in control.

He could still feel her passion. Somewhere under the exterior of the new Kagome was the woman who loved him completely. If he could tap into that woman maybe he could use her feelings to regain control. For now he would have to bide his time underneath her. For now patience was necessary.

His mother could not live forever. When she died, he would be back in control of his own that comforting thought he turned inward to try to avoid the presence of his brother. Now that they were officially related, he could not seem to get rid of the little pest. The only saving grace that where Inuyasha went Kikyou went.

She had bloomed just as he had hoped she would. Each time he had seen her, she practically glowed. It was not as if Inuyasha was doing anything to satisfy her. From his complaints Sesshoumaru had learned that they too slept in separate bedrooms.

Apparently, it was part of her agreement with his mother that she did not have to sleep with Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru would certainly have been willing to step up and do his part to satisfy her if his mother had not specifically told him that part of Kikyou's agreement forbidding any relationship with Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha turned to say something to Sesshoumaru, then stopped when he realized that Sesshoumaru was a million miles away. Probably the bastard was day dreaming about Kikyou again. He had warned stay away from her. It was bad enough knowing that Kikyou would not let him touch her. To have Sesshoumaru fantasizing about her made it worse. He had to say something"

"Don't even think about her, bastard. You are not worthy of her" Inuyasha whispered

Sessshoumaru smirked "We all know who is the bastard left you on your wedding night for my bed. It was me she wanted. That should my baby she is having?"

Stung Inuyasha struck back " And yet you denied that to her as you did your name. I gave her my family name, my family fortune and my child."

"Yet she now bears the Taisho name as will her child. Even you turned your back on your father's family which took your mother in when my father rejected her and her child. You are not worthy of that name."

"Yet I will bear it for her and my child. She is mine even though she might never turn to me again. She only turned to me that night because you were sharing the bed with your wife that you had promised to her. You will never touch her again. If I had my way, you would never see her again. If I have to I will cut off the offending member"

"Big words from a little man. No wonder Kikyou will not share your bed."

"At least I do not have to be tied down in my bed by my wife before she is able to have her way with me."

Sesshoumaru struck back "At least I am getting some. There is something to be said for bondage"

The Imperial Family was appalled at the insults being hurled at each other by two brothers. Their behavior had made them wonder more than once if they had made the right choice in aligning themselves with this family.

Was the Fujiwara name really more important than the shame that the Taishos had brought to themselves? They has seriously asked the head of the household agency whether they could not find another solution to the dynastic crisis.

He had shook his head. The only other solution would be to overthrow all of Japanese Imperial History and allow Princess Aiko to succeed to the throne. None of them were prepared for that eventuality.

Fortunately for all of them, the Lady intervened at that point. She knocked their heads together. Finally, she had their attention. Speaking firmly to them, she pointed toward the rooms where the girls were.

"Stop this nonsense. Your wives need you now more than ever. I will not have either of you ruin things just to prove which of you has the bigger penis. I may have emasculated both of you, but you need to take responsibility for what you have done. Be men for once. You were responsible for creating those children. Now you must step up and support your wives in their hour of need."

The boys looked at her surprised. Then they look at each other and hesitated, each afraid to make the first move. The Lady stomped her foot

":Now."

The boys hesitated as they approached their wives' room. The screaming coming from the rooms was clearly intimidating .to both of them. The Lady came them each a shove in the right direction and they found themselves face to face with their wives. Panic seized them and they wanted to flee. One look at the glares that they received caused to freeze like deer caught in headlights.

They were there for the duration. For better or worse, Kikyou and Kagome were their wives bearing their children. It was time to man up. Besides to flee now would incur the wrath of all involved and admit that they were less of a man than their children.

At least Inuyasha did it out of love even though at the moment his wife was unable to appreciate

what he was doing for her. Between the threats to cut his balls off for what he had done and the screams for pain medicine, after twenty hours of labor, he and the doctor reluctantly agreed to Kikyou's request for a Caesarian section.

Inuyasha walked beside her to surgery, holding her hand. Something in her eyes told him that she appreciated him being there. Before they put her under he kissed her and told her that everything would be fine.

He hoped that the doctors were as good as promised and that the mortality rate and complications from Caesarian delivery were as low as the doctors predicted. Watching his wife cut open and her blood flowing on the table nearly made his heart stopped.

He only breathed again when he was back in the room with Kikyou. They had intended to bring the baby into the recovery room, but when she did not immediately wake up the baby was taken back down to the nursery.

Inuyasha wondered at all the tubes still in his wife, but since she insisted on the epidermal that it should be continued to control the pain. He continued to hold her hand throughout the time. Just when he was about to nod off, Kikyou awoke in confusion.

Who was holding her hand? Where was she? Where was her baby? Inuyasha did what he could to reassure her. He buzzed for the nurse informing her that she was awake and asking about the baby.

The nurse finally arrived, but still no baby. Inuyasha did what he could to calm her while the nurse checked her vital signs. Only when the nurse was satisfied that Kikyou was in condition to nurse the baby was the baby brought to the floor.

Inuyasha gazed with trepidation. This was the moment of truth. Kikyou had never wanted children. Particularly his children. Would she reject the baby the nurse was holding out to her.? Was it too much to hope that she would love it?

Kikyou took the baby. It seemed so strange in her arms. She looked up at the nurse. The nurse indicating that she should try to get the baby to nurse. She had not let anyone touch her in intimate manner since she and Sesshoumaru had sex in her office.

She offered the baby her breast. It blindly sought her nipple. Finally, he latched on and began to suck. Kikyou gasped. She had not been expecting the sensation that having a baby at her breast gave her .

Looking up she saw Inuyasha smiling at her. Feeling she must be doing something right, she continued until the baby stopped sucking at her teat. When the baby was done, the nurse moved to take the baby, but Inuyasha intervened.

He had not a chance to hold the baby since the Caesarian. Loving he held the child in his arms. Looking over at Kikyou he mouthed the words "Thank you." which caused her to smile. If they were going to raise this child, it was important that they both love it.

He had been afraid that she would reject it. Obviously, Kikyou had felt something when the baby was nursing. Even if Kikyou did not love him, it was enough she loved their child. He would make sure that she knew that they both were loved.

The press, the Imperial Family and even the Taishos could wait for another day. Today, Kikyou was his alone. She might be trapped in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of her body and a baby at her breast, but in his eyes he had her right where he wanted. She had never looked more beautiful.

Everyone was amazed at the speed with which Kagome delivered her baby. The doctors remarked that the ease in which she had the baby was more like a mother who had many children rather than a woman who was having her first child.

Sesshoumaru had tried to hang back, but the Lady had pushed him forward forcing him to grip her hand. He had never realized that Kagome had such a strong grip. Neither was aware that she knew all the curse words which uttered from her mouth in the course of labor.

He was surprised to hear her say that she never wanted to have sex again and that she wanted to cut his balls off for what he had done to her. He had always been under the impression that she enjoyed sex. She had never complained before and always screamed when they finished.

When the little girl popped out within an hour of the time Sesshoumaru entered the room, the Lady clapped her hands. Now she would have to decide whether to face the press with one child or wait till Kikyou's child decided to show its face.

Popping into next door, she watched the exertions of Kikyou and the pained look on Inuyasha's face. This battle was far from over. The child was making life difficult for Inuyasha and Kikyou. Although not as important to her plan they were a flower that needed more tending than Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

The girls were so different. With Kikyou success had bred success. Her Achilles' heal was her love for Sesshoumaru. Kagome had been the quieter twin more attuned to palace life. The Lady had chosen wisely. They both had loved Sesshoumaru. The Lady hoped that a child would force Sesshoumaru to final take his responsibilities seriously. He knew the consequences if he failed to abide by the terms of their agreement.

When she returned, she found Kagome already nursing the baby. Sesshoumaru was standing with his arms crossed. She could see that he was already bored with the whole affair. They needed to call the press as soon as possible to show the world the loving couple.

Sesshoumaru knew the press. He had used against Kagome,Inuyasha and Kikyou in his battle. She knew that once he was in front of the cameras he would become the charming debonair person that Japan knew and loved. Would he be willing to play the family man that all Japan wanted to see? The playboy reined in by the responsibilities of home and hearth.

She waved him to come outside Once outside she pinned him down " This is your chance to shine, Sesshoumaru. Show that Taisho character. In public at least pretend that you love Kagome and your daughter."

Sesshoumaru stared at her as if she had lost her mind. " I know what it is be a Taisho. Have you forgotten the bastard Father begat in your haste to embrace him as your son. What I did with Kikyou was no different than what Father did with Izayoi. At least I never put Kikyou aside like Father did to Izayoi."

She patted his face. "I know what happened because I endured it for the sake of the family. Your Father at least was discreet in public. He never publicly acknowledged Izayoi. That made it easy for Inuyasha's step father to adopt him into their family. Now you must step forward and be a man. When you stand side by side with your wife and daughter, the press must believe the you love them."

She was on her cell phone immediately calling the press as she walked out toward the waiting Imperial Family. Her manner gave hope to the waiting entourage. They had feared a long wait, but the Lady indicated that good news was at hand.

When she told them that Kagome had delivered a daughter and expected they waited for some news about Kikyou. When none was forthcoming they turned to the Grand Steward to decide whether to go to the press.

The Grand Steward looked around the room. Could he go forward with happy news when the outcome of the other birth lay in the balance. Better to simply make a birth announcement than to go forward until everything was clear.

Sesshoumaru and his mother walked back to the birthing room to wait. Both of them were alone with their thoughts for the moment. They had been prepared for the biggest moment of their lives. To have it delayed was simply excruciating.

The room was empty when they arrived. An orderly who was cleaning the room told them that they had taken Kagome to her room. The pair rode the elevator in silence to her room.

Their somber was immediately replaced when they saw Kagome in her room. She beamed at them as she held the little girl in her arms to her breast. For a moment even the Lady and Sesshoumaru were enamored by that picture of mother and child that all other thoughts fled their minds.

Finally, they decided that Kagome needed to sleep. The baby was sent back to the nursery. The Lady assigned Sesshoumaru to watch over her while she slept while she headed down to check on Inuyasha and Kikyou.

When she reached their birthing she found the doctors discussing the possibility of a Caesarian. Kikyou was in obvious discomfort despite the epidermal. It was clear that someone needed to take charge.

As the Lady was not one to stand and wait for others to took charge, she took the situation in hand. Kikyou was to have her baby by Caesarean and that was that. No more dilly dallying. This baby was going to be born now one way or another.

With Kikyou in hand she returned to Kagome's room. To her astonishment, she found Sesshoumaru bound and gagged in the bed provided for him. His eyes flashed angrily, but one look at the smile on Kagome's face made it clear that she had the situation well in hand.

The Lady sighed. There was hope for Kagome. If only she had had the guts to do that to her husband.


	27. Epilogue The South Shall Rise Again

They were all gathered on the East Garden of the Imperial Palace. It was one place that would be closed to the public on the Emperor's birthday. Akihito's doctors had urged him not to attend, but he knew his duty as Emperor.

Today would be his last birthday appearance as Emperor. So many came just to see him. How could he possibly disappoint them? By his side stood his children Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Akishino.

He had tried to include Sayako, but Imperial Household Agency had insisted on protocol. Sayako was no longer a member of the imperial family since her marriage. Only members of the Imperial Family could appear at official functions.

Masako had begged off. Since the birth of Princess Toshi's intended, Yohito she had been fascinated by the bonding of her daughter and her fiancé. She had been against the arranged marriage. Toshi was after all ten years older than Yohito.

Because they were constantly together, Toshi had become devoted to Yohito. Kikyou had indulged them because it allowed her more time to devote to her business which had taken off thanks to the Imperial cachet attached to it.

Masako found caring for the two of them a blessing which allowed her to avoid the constant appearances. Her depression quickly as she threw herself into the care of two children. The right no longer could attack her for shirking her duties.

She had found her calling. The long years of suffering trying to birth an heir before Aiko was born had been rewarded with the birth of Yohito. She was finally happy and fulfilled watching her daughter play with the little boy.

Even Kikyou found herself drawn like Masako to play with Princess Toshi and Yohito. She had feelings that she never thought she would have. Would it really be so bad to have another child? A girl that she could devote herself to.

To do so meant breaking her resolve not to sleep with Inuyasha. Just this once before she became too old to bear children. Would it really be so bad? She decided to speak to Inuyasha about it when the Birthday celebration ended. She could not imagine him opposing such a thing.

Kagome had no such qualms. She had welcomed Sesshoumaru back into her bed on her terms and was already fat with their third child. Watching Hisahito play games with Tadako was heartwarming.

Whereas Aiko and Yohito were ten years apart, Hisahito and Tadako were less than five years apart. They could grow up together. Tadako was now old enough that she could actually play with him.

She treated him as a big brother. It was better this way. They would grow up as siblings. Their love would be a natural outgrowth of their time together. Their marriage might be arranged, but that did not mean that they could not grow to love each other.

The same thing was happening between herself and Sesshoumaru. At first he was angry at being forced to be married to her. Eventually, she wore him down into a grudging acceptance of his fate.

Their life together was not a fairytale romance, but it was no worse than any other arranged marriage. At least all their feelings were out in the open. He was no longer cheating on her with Kikyou. She was no longer the naive love struck who had married her Prince Charming.

They were going to live a long time together. Even if they no longer loved each other at least they could enjoy the ride together pretending that they loved each other for the adoring crowds. Not a happily ever after. Se la vie.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru set on the benches in the garden watching their wives play with their children and their fiances. So much had changed in their lives since that night of passion at the Plaza.

Inuyasha had remarried the woman he loved. She had borne his child and he loved them both. It still hurt that they slept in separate beds and after all this time she refused him intimacy.

The look in her eye when she looked at Yohito gave him hope. There was no doubt in his mind that she loved her son as much as he did. Despite all her misgivings about him she might turn to him for another child. A boon he would gladly grant to her.

Although Masako and Toshi allowed Kikyou to spend more time with her business, Yohito kept drawing her back to him. The baby tours with Yohito dressed in her latest fashions had sparked a whole new arena for her creativity: Baby clothes, Toddlers clothes and now children's clothes.

Every time they went out, they were met by an adoring public crazy about the idea that their parents had chosen to match Toshi and Yohito and Hisahito and Tadako at birth. The idea that arranged marriages were somehow romantic, but who was he to argue with their popularity.

It was not the match he had wanted when he had first married Kikyou, it was not the marriage he had imagined when he and Kikyou were remarried, but it was better than nothing. She was his not Sesshoumaru's She was devoted to his child not Sesshoumaru's. What more could a man ask for.

Sesshoumaru looked with some disdain on the domestic scene before him. He could see his mother's hand in all of this. She had succeeded in marrying both of her sons Fujiwara's. Affianced both of her grandchildren into the Impartial Family.

He knew that her schemes were far greater. Hisahito stood fourth in the line of succession. When the Emperor died he would be third. Naruhito and Akishino were 56 and 51. Eventually, Hisahito would sit on the Chrysanthemum Throne as would Hisahito and Tadako's heir

He still thought of himself as a prisoner. Not in control of his life. Things had not gone the way that he planned. Still as prisons go, it was not bad. He did not love Kagome, but the sex with her was great. She had more passion than Kikyou ever had for him.

His standing had grown as his connection to the Imperial Family grew. Although, the children were the rock stars adored in Japan, he knew that he had his fans who idolized him. They waved his banners across Japan as they toured with the babies.

They all proclaimed their love for him, offering to have his child. He had learned his lesson. Any straying in the bedroom would mean that he would be stripped of his lands, title and power. All the things that made life worth living.

If having everything he wanted but Kikyou meant living a life of unbelievable wealth and power, then he would endure night after night of great sex with Kagome. The thing he did for his country.

He turned o his brother. They now tolerated each other. At least he was getting some. From what he heard, Kikyou had not shared Inuyasha's bed since that night at the Plaza. He could sympathize with him since he was not sharing the bed of the woman he loved either.

The Lady smiled at the scene before her. Everything had worked out in the end. Seven days after birth of the babies, they had been named Yohito and Tadako in a ceremony flashed across Japan.

She did not realize until later that the names she picked were those of the Emperor Go-Daigo's Father and Mother.

Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife, Masako had been there with Princess Toshi to announce the engagement of Aiko to Yohito. At the same time Prince Akishino and his wife announced the betrothal of Prince Hisahito to Tadako.

The Japanese people instantly fell in love with the babies and their ties to the Imperial Family. Tours were set up. No Imperial appearance was complete without them. The Japanese Imperial Family had never been more. popular.

Their popularity did not fade as they grew. People could not get enough of them. They became bigger than Hello Kitty. Any associated with them instantly became marketable. The royal family was actually making money for the Japanese government.

The Lady enjoyed her time as a grandmother more than she ever had as wife and mother. Raising Sesshoumaru had been difficult for her. Maybe if she had spent more time with him he would have turned out different than his Father.

She sighed. All those bridges had been burned. The Father was long dead and his sons were both back in the fold meekly obeying her commands. She had never been able to enforce her will on her husband. The results had been nearly catastrophic.

Things were under control now. Males needed to be told what to do and where to stand. Left to their own devices they would just much things up. At least they had done one thing right in siring the children even if that was not their intended result.

She had managed to save the day. The babies who could have destroyed all of them had saved them instead. They were now able to take their rightful place in Japanese society. All her efforts had finally come to fruition. She just prayed that she would be able to live to see her great-grandchild sitting on the Chrysanthemum Throne.

The Emperor Go-Daigo beamed with pride at the scene before him. His nineteen wives and consorts stood with him oohing and awing over the had their place. Their place was to produce children. He would miss them when he was reincarnated, but they had served their purpose and it was time to move on.

The Lady had done more than he could have dreamed in such a short amount of time. Finding the Fujiwara's had been a godsend to his cause. The Imperial Family had bought into the babies as their saviors. That was all he needed to get his foot in the door.

He had shown the Lady the future. There was still one piece of the puzzle which needed to be added before the puzzle was complete. That piece was him. The South had lost when he had died. It could only be reborn when he was reborn.

For him to be reborn, the son of Hisahito and Tadako would have to marry the daughter of Aiko and Yohito. He would be their heir. As their heir he would rule Japan again. This time thing would be different. No one would steal the throne from him again.

NOTES: The present Emperor Akihito is seventy-seven. Crown Prince Naruhito is fifty-one and his brother Akishino is forty-six. According to current Japanese law, Naruhito would ascend to the throne when his father dies. He has only one child by his wife, Masako, Aiko(aka Princess Toshi) who is ten. Since women cannot ascend the throne, the Chrysanthemum Throne would pass to Akishino on his death or to his son, Hisahito who is five.

Go-Daigo was Emperor from 1318-1339. He destroyed the Kamakura Regime in an attempt to rule as more than a puppet emperor. At the end one of his supporters seized power as shogun and set up a puppet Emperor of his own in Kyoto which became known as the Northern Court.. Go-Daigo was forced to retreat to Yoshino and set up what became known as the Southern Court. The Southern Court finally ended in 1392.

This story was originally based on the Charles/Diana/ Camilla triangle. Just like Sesshoumaru, Charles met Camilla before he met Diana, but she was not acceptable to the Queen. Still, he had an affair with her throughout the marriage with Diana. He was only able to marry her years after Diana's death.


	28. The Ties That Bind

Title The Ties That Bind

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Prompt Bind

Word Count 100

Genre Hentai

A missing scene from Nights in White Satin. Occurs after Deus Ex Machina and before Those Who Wait.

Done for Dokuga Word Count Perfection on 1/16/12

Warning Noncon sex

Summary Kagome and the Lady enforce their will on Sesshoumaru

He awoke to the acrid smell of cigar smoke. Only one woman smoked such foul smelling potpourri. His mother.

He tried to escape, but found that he was bound his wrists and ankles to the finials. It was then he noticed the sleeping woman straddling him. His wife, Kagome.

How in the world had this happened? He did not remember agreeing to have sex with his pregnant wife.

"Mother, get this sea cow off me "

His mother laughed "Kagome is willing to bear your child. Allowing her a little pleasure is the least you can do under the circumstances."


	29. Wedding Night Blues

Title Wedding Night Blues

Author landofthekwt

Rating M

Genre Hentail

Prompt Silk (Dokuga Contet 4th Anniversary Challenge)

Word Count 1350

Pairing Sesshoumaru/Kagome Sesshomaru/Kikyou

Warning sex

Summary Kagome's Wedding Night

A/N Kagome's wedding night is a scene from Night's in White Satin. Although I am done with this fanfction the idea of doing Kagome's Wedding Night occurred to me while thinking about Dokuga's Contest 4rh Anniversary Challenge

Kikyou rolled around in the silk sheets luxuriating in the touch. Last night had been wonderful. On the eve of his wedding to Kagome, they had made love here. In the palace. On the bed that should be hers..With the man who should be hers.

She hated the idea of him married to Kagome. That was her place, but the Lady had not chosen her. Preferring her ugly swan sister. The scandal of her one night marriage to Inuiyasha still hung over her. .Such a woman was not fit for a prince. Only the untouched virgin would do for him.

Sesshoumaru had always been there for her. He had been her first. His letters had sustained her when they were apart. When she married Inuyasha, she fled the marriage bed on their wedding night to be with Sesshoumaru. Without his love, she would surely die.

The day had been spent with Kagome preparing her for the marriage ceremony. As sister of the bride she had chief among the attendants and one of the witnesses listed in the civil and family register. By the time she returned to the hotel she was exhausted from lying and pretending to be happy for Kagome.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome were scheduled to honeymoon in Hawaii after the ceremony. Sesshoumaru had told Kikyou that she could stay at the palace until he and Kagome came back to their honeymoon. She decided to run herself a bath in the Jacuzzi and order something from the kitchen before retiring.

She wanted to come with him to Hawaii. At least if she was in the same hotel she could pretend that he was her husband and that their time together was their honeymoon, but as always Sesshoumaru had prevailed as he always did in these matters. She simply could not resist him.

Sighing she put on her robe putting her cell phone into the pocket and headed for the selected a bottle of Dom Perigon preparing to drown her troubles. She would have preferred something to eat, but since the food had not arrived she went ahead without it.

She sank into the Jacuzzi. The jets soaked away all her problems. The champagne helped her relax. She really could get used to this life which should have been hers. For the moment she would lie back and pretend that she was a princess. She never heard the maid bring in the tray of food and place it on the night stand.

Sesshoumaru cracked open the door carrying his new wife in his arms. He had done his duty to his family and his country today. Only one duty remained. Bedding and impregnating Kagome.

Though he would have preferred that he was bedding Kikyou, he knew that his mother would never approve. The things he did for her and the family were above and beyond the call of duty.

To his surprise, the lamp by the bed casting the room in an eerie light. Normally, he preferred the moon shining through the drawn curtains to set the mood. A tray of food was perched on the night stand. The sheets were drawn back and rumpled as if someone had recently slept in them.

As he and Kikyou had christened the beds and its silk sheets numerous times last night. He smiled as he thought about last night with Kikyou. Better than any wedding night he could have imagined. He would get through tonight if he pretended that Kagome was Kikyou. It was not hard. They were after all twins. Right now he had the best of both worlds. The lover that he wanted and the wife that he needed.

As he laid Kagome on the bed, he had a horrible realization. Kikyou was here. The food on the night stand was hers. The bed was still unmade just as he had left it this morning when he slipped out quietly to get married. How could he have forgotten that he left Kikyou with the run of the house while he was in Hawaii?

Not knowing where Kikyou was, he had to act fast to defuse the situation. He turned off the light and deposited her on the bed. She smiled up at him the moonlight shining off her skin giving it a ghostly appearance. A face that mocked him. That face that was by all rights Kikyou's That place that was by all rights Kikyou.

He shook his head. This woman was but an imperfect copy of Kikyou. Kikyou was the woman he loved. The only way he would get through their wedding night was by pretending this woman was Kikyou until he had time to revive himself by making love to the real Kikyou.

He smiled back at her. It had been so long he deflowered a virgin. If he needed any help, all he had to do was remember his first night with Kikyou. That was a night to remember. All he had to do was remember that night and he would have all the passion he needed to satisfy Kagome even though it would not satiate him.

Kagome could not imagine a better way to end the day. A wedding at the Imperial Palace with herself dressed in a juni-hitoe based on one worn by the Empress Go-Kyo-goku-in eight centuries ago. Kikyou had made it Kagome. Her sister had actually done something nice for her She felt so beautiful dressed a Kikyou original fit for an Empress.

Now she was ready for love. The night she had dreamed of all her life with the man she loved. She wanted her wedding night to be perfect. Kikyou designed a robe and negligee to die for her When she put on her going away outfit, she packed an overnight bag with all she needed for a perfect night.

She did not want to spend the night on a plane traveling to Hawaii. The luggage could be sent ahead. Instead, she asked Sesshoumaru to spend the night in the palace. Hawaii could wait till tomorrow. Sesshoumaru had been expressionless when she asked. She was ever so grateful for giving for changing their plans and would be sure to make it up to him tonight.

She wanted to change into her nightgown,,but he did not seem in the mood. His kisses became more ferverent. His hands roamed freely. Somehow her blouse and dress disappeared. His kisses started on the top of her head and gradually moved down her body removing her bra as he worked on her breasts Feeling sensations she had never felt before

By the time he reached her nether regions, her panties were gone. Just a few licks in just the right places and she reached her climax Suddenly, ,she was all over Sesshomaru impaling herself and riding him hard. She never dreamed that sex could be so wonderful.

Sesshoumaru tried to keep up, but Kikyou had never been anywhere near this enthusiastic. She simply continued until he was finally spent. He held her until she finally fell asleep. When she did, he slipped out to look for Kikyou. He found her asleep naked in the Jacuzzi with a champagne glass in her hand.

She looked up at him and smiled. " Sesshoumaru, it certainly was a wonderful wedding" and promptly fell asleep.

He carried her to the guest bedroom and tucked her in. Such an angel should not be left behind. He would leave instructions to the staff to see that Kikyou was transported to his hotel suite in Hawaii. Now that he was a married man, he needed the woman he loved by his side more than ever.

Returning to the room, he found Kagome still asleep. He stared at her. If one looked at her from just the right angle she could be mistaken for Kikyou, but he knew the difference. He might pretend that she was Kikyou, but he loved the real Kikyou. He would not settle for a substitute.


	30. The Last Word

Forthright announced that she was closing Dokuga Contest on Live Journal. I thought that I would write a missing scene from Nights in White Satin. I think this expresses what I felt about the story. Sesshoumaru may have been cheating on Kagome with Kikyou, but Kagome loved him and was not about to let him go. In the end she is rewarded. She has his children and they continue as husband and wife. Sesshoumaru may not like the outcome, but he comes to accept it. Kikyou is forced to marry Inuyasha whom she does not love,but at the end even she is beginning to come around. People have said that this story is Sesshoumaru/Kikyou, but their relationship was destroyed as soon as it became public.

Title The Last Word

Author landofthekwt

Rating PG-13

Prompt Finale (dokuga contest)

Word Count 100

Genre Hurt/Comfort

Summary Inuyasha decides to help Kagome get back Sesshoumaru from Kikyou

A/N A missing scene from Nights in White Satin

Inuyasha stared at the newspaper Kagome shoved into his she fell sobbing against his chest. The picture showed his half-brother Sesshoumaru escorting his exwife a restaurant opening in New York It brought back all the pain of his childhood and all the pain of his divorce.

"What do you want me to do, Kagome?"

"That bastard ran off to my sister, Kikyou. I am not going to let her take Sesshoumaru from me. He is mine. "

Inuyasha swallowed. Kagome needed him to played hero now even if it meant confronting his own demons "Let's go get 'em"


End file.
